Upcoming work will help improve two community schools while also continuing to boost Buncombe County’s alternative energy portfolio. Lucy Herring Elementary School and Asheville High School are due for significant upgrades via funding from the School Capital Fund Commission, which utilizes sales tax for education-based capital improvements. Asheville high school will have $13.1 million in upgrades and repairs and Luch Herring will have $8.2 million in upgrades and renovations. “Lucy Herring is more than 40 years old, and many of these systems are at the end of their useful lives. All these projects fit most or all the School Capital Fund Commission guiding criteria for correcting safety and health concerns, improving the educational environment, and other factors” says General Services Project Manager Ronnie Lunsford. “They will improve the facility in the ways listed above and create an environment that is conducive for learning for the children of the community.”
Below is a list of the projects for both school campuses.
Asheville High School projects, $13.1 million:
- Auditorium improvements: This will be a total renovation of the entire space that includes new ceilings, flooring, seating, lighting controls, upgraded audio improvements, and more. Demolition began in March and work is expected to be complete in October.
- Gym upgrades: This will be a renovation that includes new wood flooring, articulating bleachers on the lower level, and new lighting for the gym. Work began in March and is slated to be finished in June.
- Main Building Water and Sewer: This project replaces degraded piping and plumbing infrastructure in the main building. It will also renovate the restrooms, which includes new fixtures, partitions, finishes, and brings the restrooms up to current building code standards. Work will begin this summer.
- Arts Building HVAC Piping: This will be a piping and pump replacement for the building’s hydronic HVAC systems. Work is expected to begin this fall.
- Athletic Track Replacement: The track was almost to a point that it could not be used due to the degradation of the surface. The track was removed down to the base layer of gravel, a new asphalt base was installed, and it was surfaced with a polyurethane surface. This project finished last fall and has been a much-needed improvement for all athletics at the school.
Lucy Herring Elementary School improvements, $8.2 million:
- HVAC/Mechanical system: This will include a complete replacement of the hydronic piping from a two-pipe to a four-pipe system. The upgraded system will allow for heating and cooling to be switched on demand to provide a more comfortable environment for students and staff.
- Window replacement: All exterior windows will be replaced with more thermally efficient systems.
- Roof replacement: Due to age and to align the replacement with the installation of the solar panels, which will also help offset energy costs for the building.
- Restroom renovations: All student restrooms will be renovated to make them code compliant and also receive new fixtures and finishes.
- Kitchen upgrades: New freezer and cooler units will be installed, and kitchen finishes will be upgraded. There will also be upgrades to the staff restroom area in the kitchen.
To learn more about the School Capital Fund, watch meetings online, and sign up for updates, click here.