Harlan Kirgan
The restoration project at Eunice Elementary that began in August 2018 may be nearing an end.
“We’ve been in this restoration project for quite some time at Eunice Elementary,” said Claudia Blanchard, director of operations for the St Landry Parish School Board.
Blanchard noted several events out of the school system’s control. The main contractor contracted COVID “not once, but twice.”
The contractor is from Lake Charles and Hurricane Laura destroyed products stored there that were intended for the project.
The majority of subcontractors are no longer in business, she said at Tuesday’s meeting of the Buildings, Lands and Sites Committee.
Replacements were found by the architect and work began again, she said.
The project is expected to be completed by Dec. 7.
“We are making good progress,” she said.
The restoration project included a classroom damaged by fire and an administration building damaged by flooding.
The buildings on the Eunice Elementary campus were also re-roofed. A roofing project is about to be completed at Eunice Junior High School.
On Aug. 2, 2018, the Board approved $1,099,000 for roof replacements at the elementary school and Eunice Junior High School.
Work at the school since then has faced a series of setbacks.
On Aug. 14, fire destroyed much of the interior of a classroom building at Eunice Elementary.
Temporary buildings were moved onto the campus to accommodate the students displaced by the fire.
On Dec. 27, 2018, the administration building was flooded.
The administration building included office space, a library, computer lab, restrooms and a classroom used for music.
Again, another temporary building was moved to the campus to replace the damaged administration building.
The roofing project at Eunice Elementary was delayed when a structural change was required.
And, work essentially stalled when the pandemic struck.