Mehlville School District’s two major construction projects—tennis courts at Bernard Middle School and an auditorium at Mehlville High School—are moving along on schedule. Here’s your update, according to superintendent Eric Knost:

Tennis Courts

Construction on the tennis courts at Bernard Middle School is completed, Knost said.

Workers are waiting for seven days where the temperatures stay above 50 degrees in order to paint and seal the courts.

The courts are scheduled to be completed in March after some final grading and landscaping work.

Auditiorium

Before the school began construction on the district’s first auditorium, planners set aside contingency funds in case major issues came up during construction.

But as workers began to lay the footings and foundations in front of Mehlville High School—marking the end to the most volatile and potentially expensive phase of construction—Knost said he would recommend to the board of education to use some of those contingency funds to add a covered walkway and gypsum board on the walls. The two projects would use only about half of the budget’s $300,000 contingency fund, Knost said.

“Since we haven’t had any reason to use any of the contingency, it makes perfect sense to add the corridor that connects to the main building” and the gypsum board, which will benefit the auditorium “aesthetically and acoustically,” Knost said. “I’m adamant about making sure this is done ahead of schedule and within budget.”

Masons are scheduled to arrive next Monday to begin putting up the walls.

The auditorium is scheduled to be completed Nov. 1, 2013.

“We think well complete ahead of that time, potentially well ahead,” Knost said.

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Photos: Construction Starting on Mehlville Auditorium