In preparation for upcoming construction at Wellwood Middle School that is part of the 2017 voter-approved capital project, the district plans to separate the electrical system that is shared by Fayetteville Elementary and Wellwood Middle schools.
Depending on the weather, site work is expected to begin during the week of Nov. 18. Contractors plan to dig a trench for a new main power line from state Route 257 to Fayetteville Elementary. The trench will be enclosed by a fence during construction, but traffic will still be able to access the driveway and elementary school.
The work is not anticipated to impact parking at either the elementary or middle school, and there should not be any disruption of power to the buildings during the school day.
With separate main power lines installed to both buildings, power outages at one building will no longer impact the other, as is currently the case.
State authorizes Wellwood project
On Nov. 12, the New York State Education Department approved design and construction plans for Wellwood’s portion of the facilities project. Construction will include a 15,000-square-foot addition and new main entrance facing Fayetteville Elementary, creation of a new, enlarged parking lot in front of the addition, new athletic fields and renovations to existing classrooms, including asbestos abatement and infrastructure upgrades.
Construction is expected to begin in spring 2020, and the separation of Fayetteville Elementary’s and Wellwood’s electrical systems is part of the pre-construction work that students, staff and the community will soon begin to see.