Holland Transforms School, Room-by-Room

Holland Construction Services, Inc. continues to complete sections of renovations on Central Elementary School in O'Fallon, now in operation for the new school year.

"Students, teachers, and parents are elated with the new facilities," said District #104 Superintendent Steve Amizich. One teacher commented, "Each day another room is finished, it's like Christmas, and we get something we have never had before." Several older siblings of current students said, "I wish we had this when I went to Central."

The renovations that began in mid-March are transforming the school room by room. The pre-kindergarten, the kindergarten and the administrative offices are complete, as are the enclosure of former open courtyards, restrooms, new heating and air conditioning equipment, electrical fixtures and sprinkler system.

The new art room and library will be completed later this month; the commons/cafeteria by the end of October. Next June, the existing kitchen will be renovated while students are on summer break.

Though the project was complicated from the beginning with a tight schedule and the discovery of asbestos that significantly increased the scope of work, Amizich said Holland went above and beyond to do what was necessary to get school open in a reasonable amount of time.

"The completion of each area brought ‘oohs' and ‘aahs' from staff and visitors," Amizich said. "We are getting a school that fits the educational programs and needs of the students. That's quite different from the former building that dictated the education programming that was possible."

Holland also built the Joseph Arthur Middle School on St. Ellen Mine Road for O'Fallon School District #104.

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