Keokuk Schools To Begin Construction KEOKUK, IA (wium) - The Keokuk School District will soon begin two of the priority projects on its facility improvement list.

Wright Fieldhouse
The school board has accepted the $200,000 bid from Keokuk Contractors to renovate portions of Wright Fieldhouse. This will be phase one of a two phase project.

Superintendent Lora Wolff says the wrestling room and the concession stand will swap floors. She says the high school girls' physical education locker room will also be moved so it can be on the same floor as the boys'.

The move will allow both PE teachers to help supervise students.

Wolff says the project can get underway once the state signs off on the plan. A timeline for that process has not been established.

Wolff says the district will spend another $90,000 on concession equipment, wrestling mats, fire alarms, and a construction manager. She says phase 2 of the project will include bleacher and gym floor work.

Hawthorne Elementary
Keokuk Contractors also offered the winning bid (@$350,000) to expand the parking lot at Hawthorne Elementary School.

Wolff says a total of 68 parking spots will be made available. She says an entrance/exit road off of Messenger Road will also be built.

Wolff says the road should help reduce traffic on Decatur Street. She says the project could get underway after July 4.

The school district will have to secure a special-use permit for the Hawthorne Elementary Parking Lot project. Wolff says additional fees and charges will push the total cost to around $460,000. © Copyright 2009, wium