BELLEFONTE — The manager of the Bellefonte Area School District’s new elementary school project provided an update on its progress and the efforts to finalize its baseline schedule.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Nik Kindya, project manager with SitelogIQ, briefed the board on the latest developments in the $55.3 million K-5 elementary school project.

After several months of delays in receiving schedules and sequencing from the project’s prime contractors, SitelogIQ received all necessary information on Sept. 20 to develop the baseline schedule — an approved, projected timeline that serves as a fixed reference point for tracking the project’s progress.

SitelogIQ is incorporating feedback from the prime contractors following discussions held on Sept. 26 and Oct. 2, before finalizing the schedule.

“Additional meetings will be required to obtain additional feedback from Prime Contractors before the Proposed Baseline Schedule can be issued for signatures and become the Baseline Schedule,” Kindya said.

The coordination is necessary to ensure there are no conflicts amongst the prime contractors when “rough ins,” the initial stages of installation of the building’s mechanical, plumbing, electrical and fire protection systems, begin.

Each of the building’s segments are anticipated to take between 260-270 days of work to complete — the equivalent of one year of construction.

Building Areas A and B began construction on Aug. 18 of this year and are expected to be completed by Aug. 22, 2025. Area C, which began building on Sept. 16, is projected for completion Sept. 12, 2025. Construction on Area D began Monday, Oct. 14. SitelogIQ estimates Area D will be finished by Oct. 24, 2025.

The preliminary schedule provided in July showed site work concluding in early November 2025 with final completion slated for Jan. 21, 2026.

According to Kindya, the contractors have completed blasting rock and brought the entire building pad to a subgrade elevation as part of the site work.

Additionally, the site’s utility provider successfully connected temporary power to the onsite office trailers. Power will be provided to the building area when appropriate.

Contractors are continuing bulk excavation, processing and placing structural and nonstructural fill and stormwater conveyance.

At Building Area A, excavation has begun, and contractors are installing reinforcement bars and pouring concrete. Additionally, construction has commenced on masonry walls, foundation insulation, backfilling foundations and underground electrical and plumbing rough-ins, as well as in-wall electrical rough-ins.

According to Kindya, the project is facing some challenges related to additional requirements following the issuance of the building permit.

Several items, including additional water fountains and bottle filling stations, modifying fire walls and potentially adding an additional stair tower had to be added to the project in response to the plan review requirements. The potential stair tower may be required by the Centre Region Code Administration and will need to be approved by a resolution by the board.