Work Starts on Modular Buildings for Cedar Rapids School District
By Dave Franzman, Reporter
By
Becky Ogann
Story Created:
Jul 11, 2008 at 5:46 PM CST
Story Updated:
Jul 12, 2008 at 8:33 PM CST
CEDAR RAPIDS-A "hurry-up" project hopes to build new Cedar Rapids School district offices before the start of fall classes.
A modular village of 35 separate buildings should house Cedar Rapids School district employees in just a few short weeks. On Saturday, the Army Corps of Engineers launched a project to create a near-instant office complex next to Kingston Stadium.
It will take at least 70 semi-trucks to haul all the pieces for the modular offices to a grassy field north of Kingston Stadium. But on Saturday, it was first things first.
Contractors hired by the Army Corps of Engineers began grading the area to accommodate the units, dig trenches for utilities and create gravel driveways. And it will all happen much faster than normal construction.
Richard Otto, project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers, said "a project like this would normally be scheduled over 10-12 weeks. We're aiming for seven weeks--so we'll be working pretty much sunrise to sunset seven days a week."
No one knows how long it will take to fix the Educational Service Center building that was flooded a month ago. There's even the question of whether that building can be repaired. So district administrators expect to use the modular village for up to two years.
FEMA is paying the majority of the bill and designated the Army Corps of Engineers to handle the project. Corps officials say with so much work going on to repair flood damage finding workers wasn't easy. Subcontractors are coming from as far away as Des Moines and the Quad Cities.
Contractors hope to finish the new district offices by August 15th--a week and a half before the start of fall classes in Cedar Rapids.
The project was originally expected to cost $6-million dollars. But the number of modular buildings was cut from 50 to 35--so the price now is $4.5-million dollars.
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Tuesday, Jul 15 at 8:23 AM Out of towner wrote ...
Out of towner how dare YOU post such scathing remarks on a subject that you obviously know nothing about? Why don't you get a little hen party together and canvass your town for donations (80 million)so our displaced residents don't have to wait for federal money? Then when you've got all of them taken care of you can start on the billion dollars the city needs to repair all the city buildings. Then you can start collecting for the school district so they don't have to build a temporary city.
Monday, Jul 14 at 7:11 PM CR Mom wrote ...
Why isn't the school district saving money by utilizing existing, empty buildings? There are so many around town. Remodeling one of them would certainly be cheaper than doing this. That would make the funds available to repair and rebuild the schools that have been damaged. Taylor Elementary and Metro High schools both need attention. They could also give Metro enough money that each student could actually have enough text books in a class for each student. Imagine!
Monday, Jul 14 at 6:33 PM Where to park? wrote ...
Relax folks concerned with parking, there are 1100 parking spots on the entire complex. There will still be 1100 parking spots when the project is completed. It may be legitimate to criticize the decision but I'll reserve judgement until I see monthly cost, terms of lease agreements, square footage, etc, that city and government entities are locked in to at Westdale, etc, and compare square footage and cost at Kingston.
Monday, Jul 14 at 2:15 PM Anonymous wrote ...
The old Target is a Stuff, Etc. now. Either that or Harbor Freight Tools is there. I don't get to that part of town much but the point is they are both in that vicinity and at least one of them is in the Target building. The old EconoFoods (West) is currently being used by Intermec temporarily and the old East EconoFoods is in use by the Salvation Army.
Monday, Jul 14 at 2:07 PM Think About It wrote ...
Where are the checks and balances for these expenditures??? And I understand the urgency to get kids back to a somewhat normal lifestyle, but the kids and there families need something to go home too, not a car or shelter, or 3 or 4 families living under one roof. If FEMA (A JOKE)and the city would work together and utilize huge empty building, money could be spent to get each and everyone temporary housing..Or FEMA, are you all about fixing up "BARS" and certain individuales only?? Think People
Monday, Jul 14 at 1:59 PM Think About It wrote ...
I really think a few of the comments have hit it right on the head, why aren't we utilizing the large buildings sitting empty right now, It would be allot cheaper to up-grade a few of the facilities than spend an enormous amount of money on these "Temporary Buildings". You can't tell me that it would take that much extra work to make existing buildings work, I'm an Electrician by trade and I have been involved in major retrofits of this sort, so why can't the city do the same????
Monday, Jul 14 at 12:24 PM Parking LOT??? wrote ...
Re-read the briefing, It stated the north side of kinston stadium, which is grass. and overflow parking for football games. also used for shot put and disk throws. so way not use it. As for the empty builds that were mentioned, I would suggest that you get out more. Some already have business in them.
Monday, Jul 14 at 12:09 PM To out of towner wrote ...
It is not the City's decision to wait a year for possible buy out money. That is how long it will take for the FEDERAL money to be distibuted. It will be fall before the city even know IF it is being considered for the federal money. Maybe you should try to get the WHOLE story before posting a tirade against the city? Why don't you put up all the displaced people?
Monday, Jul 14 at 10:15 AM Parent for the Portables wrote ...
I am pretty sure one reason to place the portables in the parking lot, might have had something to do with a semi-central location, as well as not enough time to clear land at Taft to put in utilities in time, and I am not 100% sure, but doesn't the district own the parking lot? It seems less attention should be placed on the portables and more attention placed on locating the 1,800 children displaced by the flood and get them prepared for school, so at least they have somewhere to learn.
Monday, Jul 14 at 8:39 AM Inventory of Space wrote ...
I think someone needs to take inventory of large buildings currently sitting empty around town. Some on the west side that come to mind (although I'm not sure if someone has already claimed them) are the old Target next to Toys R Us, the old EconoFoods, the old Urgent Care on Wiley. I'm sure there are others. Can't these be put to use? I can't imagine them being more expensive than the modular units.
Monday, Jul 14 at 6:59 AM Anonymous wrote ...
What about putting them up at Westdale instead. Much cheaper and already sitting mostly empty.
Monday, Jul 14 at 6:57 AM cr resident wrote ...
Everyone is doing the best they can. These are difficult times and no matter what they decided someone would complain. If the flood took out kingston we would have no football at all. It won't kill us to park a little ways away and walk it might actually help you. No body has all the perfect answers and time is a major factor. I feel very sorry for all those who lost so much and instead of complaining about what is being done and how lets try and find the positive and work together. CR is great!
Sunday, Jul 13 at 8:55 PM anonymous wrote ...
In response to your question about Oprah. This will sound mean and I mean absolutely no disrespect to any person, of any race. Iowa, and Cedar Rapids, is a predominately white community.Statistically we do not have as much poverty, crime and homelessness, as a larger community such as New Orleans.
Sunday, Jul 13 at 8:28 PM sophie wrote ...
To watchdog,there is a hiring freeze in the Cedar Rapids School Distrcit.
Sunday, Jul 13 at 3:48 PM To Yeah Right wrote ...
I'm not saying football is more important than operating our schools. I'm saying they should have thought of a better place for them. And yes football is important to our area schools. It brings in a lot of money that the schools can then use to provide a better education to the students. I'm just saying that having the buildings there will hurt a already difficult parking situation this fall. Did they consider putting them at hawkeye downs? Plenty of room there.
Sunday, Jul 13 at 3:40 PM Anonymous wrote ...
I think using an "overflow" parking lot on school district property makes sense. There is plenty of parking for the Kernels, Roughriders, and football games even with this space occupied. Why rent or lease empty office or retail space that businesses or non-profits will probably need?
Sunday, Jul 13 at 3:13 PM Anonymous wrote ...
Seems pretty expensive, oh well, what is tax money, just tax more.
Sunday, Jul 13 at 12:38 PM Anonymous wrote ...
"Any other place to put them" has somewhat of a point. He or she wonders what's going to happen during sporting events because we are talking about a SPORTS stadium here. Let's just shut down the city's sports and entertainment industry altogether and eliminate MORE money coming in.
Sunday, Jul 13 at 9:26 AM Another Idea wrote ...
Oprah promotes education so much, I wonder why she has not been here to offer support. She appeared for Katrina so rapidly. Anyone know how to contact her?
Sunday, Jul 13 at 9:05 AM watchdog wrote ...
What about all the new positions the district is hiring for... better make sure they have offices too. You would think at a time like this you might pull the postings and freeze hiring of downtown until you figure out where 1800 plus students that are displaced are going.
Sunday, Jul 13 at 8:22 AM out of towner wrote ...
How dare you people worry about the school district & city government before you help all these displaced people they should be your top priority!!! You are telling people it'll be over a year B4 you people make any decisions...what are they suppose to do in the mean time?? Do you city officials have empty rooms you can put some of these people up in???
Saturday, Jul 12 at 9:12 PM Anonymous wrote ...
If Cedar Rapids is an amateur, why is it one of the best places in the nation to raise a family? If you don't like Cedar Rapids, GET OUT!!!!!
Saturday, Jul 12 at 9:10 PM Anonymous wrote ...
How about they've already started work. They probably considered all options, and this was the best one. They don't have the luxury of time here. As far as the cost, remember that all these buildings have restrooms, and that takes water and sewer. It's not cheap to run utilities. And how about gas and electric. 4.5 million is pretty reasonable. If you don't think so go find a contractor to do it for cheaper. Let FEMA do their thing and quit complaining so much.
Saturday, Jul 12 at 6:04 PM low rent wrote ...
what about the 40 acres at Taft middle school?
Saturday, Jul 12 at 12:03 PM A little extreme wrote ...
That works out to $171.428.57 for each unit. That seems a little extreme for a temporary modular unit and hookups. I would like to see a breakdown of costs. With reports of how little money we have to help the actual flooded residents, somebody should be raising a red flag on this cost!!!
Saturday, Jul 12 at 11:53 AM terry wrote ...
Heck, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, half of the students attend classes in portable classrooms!! We had one elementary school that existed ONLY in portables, and with over 1200 kids!! The CR School District is such an amateur!!
Saturday, Jul 12 at 10:31 AM Yeah, right wrote ...
To "Any other place...": I can see where your priorities lie. Football is SO much more important than operating our schools, right?
Saturday, Jul 12 at 3:14 AM hmm... wrote ...
and what about more housing in cr? there are still people living in their cars that were flooded..not all have been put into fema trailors!
Saturday, Jul 12 at 2:11 AM Anonymous wrote ...
Why couldn't they have done like some of the other displaced businesses and used a space that has been sitting empty for years? Use the $6 mil to do something so the children of Taylor Elementary can go to school this year as a school!
Saturday, Jul 12 at 1:27 AM yer all screwed wrote ...
lets see, 35 ofices, cost of 25 grand each, total cost of project 6 million equals fat pocket linings!!
Saturday, Jul 12 at 12:38 AM Any other place to put them? wrote ...
I understand the need for these buildings but parking is already difficult there. Anytime there is a football, baseball, or hockey game, the place is packed. If two have games the same night, be ready to walk a long ways if you don't get their early. What I'm saying is I think the city should reconsider the location they are planning on this one, not the idea, just the location.
Friday, Jul 11 at 9:24 PM pals wrote ...
Hope we don't get a tornado
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