Kevin G. Harney, principal at Stalco, explained the scope of the project, saying, “The project encompasses construction of a new, three-story, 20,000-square-foot addition to the main building, renovation and reprogramming of the existing three-story school structure, demolition of the separate pre-K building, and construction of new outdoor sports facilities, including six professional-grade tennis courts and a football field with FieldTurf synthetic sport surface, lighting and spectator bleachers.”

The new addition will feature parking on the first floor with regular and special education classrooms on the second floor, accompanied by offices and facilities for audio-visual media. This will allow the school to produce video announcements, adding media elements to the current curriculum, an improvement students have been requesting for quite some time.

Improvements to the existing 100,000-square-foot structure include renovations and reprogramming, which will change 12 general science classrooms into specific rooms for individual classes. The 12 general classrooms will become three sets of four classrooms specializing in biology, earth science and physics. The new science rooms will feature custom-fabricated cabinetry and lab stations with Internet connections, water, power, gas and dedicated chemical waste lines. The waste lines will deposit their contents into an acid waste tank filled with limestone chips. Limestone sits on the alkaline side of the alkaline-acid continuum, meaning it can be used to neutralize the acids used in many high school chemistry courses.

The improvements will also include the installation of glazed corridors and divider walls, allowing sunlight into areas near the middle of the structure that currently have no natural lighting. Occupancy sensors will be added to rooms to ensure energy efficiency.

The project will also involve 120,000 square feet of structural work in addition to the new outdoor sports facilities. Due to the low bearing soil on-site, stability of the new structure will be enhanced by 128 auger cast piles, with reinforced concrete caps aligned at the same depth as those under the existing structure.

Michael I. DeVito, the school’s chief operating officer, added, “The existing structure suffers from deficiencies and has not received any significant updates or renovations since the early 1970s. Construction of the addition and interior renovations will address these issues and create a very modern, visually attractive school with state-of-the-art educational facilities that will serve the local community for years to come.”

The project, slated for completion in 2014, is partially the result of a needs assessment study that CS Arch conducted with the Long Beach City Schools district, beginning in 2007. Voters approved a bond in 2009, covering $98.9 million in work to be completed throughout the district.

The work will go on during the school year, with all noisy and/or disruptive activities taking place after 3 p.m. to avoid affecting the experience for students. All crew and team members are required to wear ID badges at all times and need prior approval to enter the school site, ensuring no one can use the construction as a cover to enter the school inappropriately.

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The carport overhang ceiling fell to the ground on Good Friday, while construction crews were trying to locate pipes in the ceiling. No one was hurt when the building collapsed, largely because students were on vacation.

The core building was not damaged, but the entire suspended stucco ceiling was removed due to safety concerns.

“The engineers raised concerns about the stability of some of the ceiling that did not come down initially on its own, so on their advice and the advice of architects, we took the remaining ceiling down in a controlled removal,” Superintendent David Weiss said in a letter.

Although the cause of the collapse was not yet known, district spokesperson Terry Gilbert said its old age could be responsible.

“The decision to remove the remainder of the suspended ceiling is an important safety decision that completely removes the possibility of any further issues, since the structures will be gone,” Weiss said. “We will not tolerate any uncertainty with regard to the safety of our students, staff, or anyone who uses the facilities. Safety has to be our first priority.”

The insurance company is still evaluating the cost of damage, Gilbert said.

The collapsed ceiling will not halt the construction and renovation work under way throughout the district, district officials said.

The district is undergoing $100 million worth of bonded construction projects, including $28.7 million worth of renovations at Long Beach High School that includes substantial interior construction, health and safety improvements, and infrastructure upgrades and improved community resources.

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