Brewton City school board members learned Monday that construction at T.R. Miller High School’s main campus and football stadium will continue on for a few more weeks.
Bobby Dennis with McKee and Associates said the construction at the school is in phase three and things are currently slow due to recent weather conditions in the area.
“Phase three is the construction of the pavilion and other outside amenities on the project,” Dennis said. “Due to the weather we have had lately, any weather we had here on out has an impact on phase three.”
Dennis said a new school sign will be installed, but it has not been delivered.
“This phase will also have another tower, the canopy going up the handicapped ramp, the pavilion area and the courtyard area,” he said. “We will finish some fencing and some gates. All that and the sod work is left along with some sidewalks. I would guess, in my opinion, assuming we get the weather we want we are about six to eight weeks away.”
As far as the football stadium, Dennis said the goals or expectations that were set out have not been met.
“When this whole thing was realized, we would have liked to have this thing bid out two months before we bid it to meet the target date to play football,” he said. “I know there have been some postponements of some bids and things, but our goal and objective was to have phase one to be complete by August 10. Phase two, the baseball field, would be complete by Dec. 31.”
Dennis said football was played Friday, but it was a very trying and inconvenient process.
“We played and got wet Friday, and our next home game is Sept. 4,” he said. “I have requested from (Amity Construction general contractor) Fred (Chambliss) that we set some target dates and that the next step is to have the press box operational by the next home game.”
Dennis said currently several things are going on that have impacted the project and they are currently gathering proposals. One impact is the press box was originally not air-conditioned, but will be now. HVAC and electrical has to be installed in the press box.
“We are now getting proposals for some heavy sliding glass that will slide and open up as windows,” he said. “We are looking at putting the ticket booth, the other gates and the baseball bleachers back.”
Another item in phase one that Dennis said will have an impact is the sound system. “It is going to take longer to get the sound system installed,” he said. “It may be four or five weeks before we get the equipment in, but it will be very high quality. The scoreboard will be delivered in the next two or three weeks.”
Dennis said it is his desire to have the press box ready to play and occupied by the next game.
“It won’t have the finishings,” he said. “The goal is to have lights and power by then and to have the roof on it.
“We don’t want to be in the same situation with the press box that we were in for the first game.”
Chambliss said he and his team have devoted a lot of energy and effort to get to this point.
“We have slacked off on phase two because that was not essential to playing football,” he said. “As this week and next week go on, we will begin to wrap up phase one and go on to phase two.”
Chambliss said the grass on the baseball field is supposed to be stripped Wednesday.
“We are going to start working on the drainage and the sewer,” he said. “You will see us pouring slab on the concession stand. That is if we can move the resources over to phase two without impacting phase one. Coaches will be able to coach from the press box for the next home game. I appreciate the opportunity to do the job.”