New Brunswick High School is in vertical construction phase

BRUNSWICK — The new Brunswick High School has entered into its vertical construction phase, according to a construction update to the community from Brunswick Schools. Early site work was completed in April and May for the high school, and the district said the project is proceeding on schedule. "Every new school sits on a solid foundation, but the speed and efficiency with which our team laid the groundwork has been a huge boost to the entire project," Derrick Semilia from Hammond Construction said. "Installing the foundations has gone extremely well. We've had very little trouble with soil conditions. Everything just went seamlessly." Since the overall building foundations are set, construction teams are focusing on erecting the masonry bearing structure. Masonry walls will continue to rise across the site over the next two months as crews work to lay as much block before winter. "We have a 40- (to) 50-man crew at the moment and are actually adding more workers as we get farther along in our coordination drawing process," Semilia said. The structure is segmented into seven areas. The first three sections comprise the two-story academic space; sections four, five and seven include spaces like the gymnasiums and kitchen areas, while section six is the auditorium. "The segmentation of the building is a key part of our strategy," Semilia said. "It allows us to tackle construction in different areas simultaneously, ensuring we stay on track to meet our deadlines." Sections four, five and seven will be enclosed this year, and steel installation is scheduled to start in August and September. The academic wings will soon have staircases and elevator shafts built. Steel will be placed using a high-altitude crane that is now on-site. "Having the crane on the construction site is exciting, and seeing it move around the site is one of the most fun parts," Semilia said. "I still feel like a little kid watching it work." The construction site is fully fenced off, and contractors will continue to use dedicated entrances that are separate from school traffic coming from the current Brunswick High School. "There should be little to no disruption from crews during the academic year, and the site will operate independently from those daily functions," Brunswick Schools stated. A live construction camera was installed, and the community can view the school's progress in real time. To view the livestream, visit tinyurl.com/4bdn5dc4. Constructing the new Brunswick High School is one aspect of the district's facilities master plan. The project is funded by a $102 million bond issue that passed in May 2023. To learn more about construction projects within the district, visit tinyurl.com/2xandkn4. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.