Bus barn construction starts

Construction is underway for the Creston School District’s bus barn.

“A majority of the site prep is done and the footing has been poured for the building,” said Creston High School Superintendent Steve McDermott. “The pouring of the concrete floor should happen in the near future.”

He added the site also has electricity, a fire hydrant is being installed and the steel building has been ordered and should arrive in three to four weeks.

The bus barn was destroyed during a tornado April 2012.

Breiholz Construction Company’s bid was for $906,000 for a base bid. The target for completion is near the Thanksgiving holiday.

“We want to get it up before the snow starts to fly,” McDermott said. “It has been nice to see some progress.”

McDermott said the district can afford the cost of the building and work. More than $400,000 of the construction will be paid for by insurance.

The school district paid for preparations of the site, which is northeast of where the former building was located. The district also paid for an architect to format blueprints of the building, which includes a wash bay for buses.

The concrete floor is a $200,000 addition to the cost of the barn.

“The insurance company is picking up a large portion of that cost because it was mandated by state fire code,” McDermott said.