The current construction project has months to go but is making significant progress in the student center and in other key areas. All staff photos courtesy of Baily Deeter.

By Baily Deeter

With the current construction project promising an exciting final product, a hot topic on campus is how this large-scale undertaking is progressing. As a whole, the project has been slightly delayed but is still making progress, and while there are some conflicting perspectives on the matter, the project appears to be on track to be completed almost entirely before the beginning of next school year.

Head of Operations Paul Gillick indicated that the expected date of completion has been pushed back as a result of the frequent rain in Atherton over the course of the past few months, and it is difficult to make up this time. “Construction crews aren’t allowed to work nights, weekends, or holidays,” Gillick said. “A day lost just has to be made up with efficiency and longer days.”

“We built a buffer into the timeline. [The construction crews] have eaten into some of their buffer, but the truth is that I think it’s going to get done very close to the start of school,” Head of School Than Healy said. “I’m still optimistic.”

There are different parts of the project that will be completed at different times, and Gillick explained that some areas of work are of higher priority than others. “The goal is to clear the upper school quad of its portable trailers and install new synthetic turf [by the beginning of next school year],” Gillick said. “It’s critical to complete construction enough to accommodate [the] student life, MMR, library services, math, and academic support [buildings] before the start of school.”

While there is no definitive timeline, the crew aims to get the academic resources ready for the beginning of next school year. Some of the other improvements, however, are not as high of a priority. “The business offices on the third floor aren’t under the gun to complete,” Gillick said. “The kitchen, dining, and patio can come later since the dining hall on the College campus will be available.”

Healy mentioned that, if needed, the Menlo College cafeteria can serve as a backup plan. However, he is intent on getting the cafeteria ready so that the college cafeteria is not needed. “I would prefer not to use that backup plan,” Healy said.

So far, it has not yet been determined which food provider Menlo will use when the new cafeteria is officially complete. “Sodexo, along with two other bidders, are competing [to provide food for the new cafeteria],” Gillick said.

It is likely that the overall project will be complete early next school year, but even then, further upgrades will be made. “We will remove and revamp some of the existing bathrooms during [the December holiday break of next school year],” Gillick said. 

These blueprints indicate how the project will affect the current Creative Arts and Design Center (CADC) at its completion. A new technology center will be added alongside the CADC. This will not impact the structure of the existing CADC classrooms, such as the art room and the photography room. 

The hole where the new technology center will reside is in place. “At the tech building the membrane for the concrete to go over is currently in place,” Gillick said. The rebar for the basement floor is nearly complete and the concrete is scheduled to be placed on Jan. 30 or 31. 

The new kitchen will be a part of the student center building. This image depicts where the servery for the new kitchen will be located. “In the picture the area is part of the servery and the room shown behind the wall is the kitchen,” Gillick said. “The servery will be all along that wall with salad and sandwich bars at the old technology office area.” 

The construction ongoing outside of the student center is significant with the intention of accommodating outdoor seating to complement the indoor cafeteria. “Regarding the Stent expansion, the critical path is to get the mud cleared so we can set the steel footings,” Gillick said. The rain makes it more difficult to move the mud, further delaying the implementation of the steel framework and thus delaying the project as a whole. 

“The pipeline, the rough plumbing, the electrical conduits and the sprinklers have already been established in the new student center,” Gillick said. With a lot of the foundation set up, the construction crew can focusing on adding some of the later-stage touches to complete the project. 

The library is additionally being redone, and while it will still have the same basic structure, improvements are being made. “We are expanding the outdoor patio to increase seating for the library,” Gillick said. “The library will also have a study area where food is allowed.”

For the student center building as a whole, there’s still more to be done. While the sprinklers and the pipeline have been installed in the student center, all fundamental safety measures must be taken care of before the entire building can open. “We can’t occupy the new areas [into the student center until all life safety systems are in (including sprinklers, fire alarms, exits, and handicap access),” Gillick said.

With a new Chief of Development, Alex Tenorio, in place as of Jan. 23, the crew is intent on fulfilling all requirements to complete the project as soon as possible. Check back with The Coat of Arms as we continue to provide updates as to how the project is taking shape over the course of the new few months.