Herricks High School cafeteria, Denton parking lot set to be finished by start of school

Rebecca Klar
Demolition is complete at the Herricks High School cafeteria, with renovations set to be completed by the new school year. (Photo courtesy of Herricks Public Schools)

Herricks High School students will be welcomed back in September to a brand new cafeteria.

The project, part of the work included in the $25 million bond residents approved in a referendum last year, is on track to be completed by the start of the 2018-2019 year, the district announced during Thursday’s Board of Education meeting.

The cafeteria will be renovated using Herricks’ blue and white throughout the design.

Along with the cafeteria, high school students will have a new comfort station by the football field when they return.

As of Thursday, the Park East Construction Corporation had disconnected all plumbing and electric from the cafeteria and began demolition of the cafeterias.

By the comfort station, workers had removed existing asphalt and concrete, excavated for footing and foundation walls and poured the concrete for new footings.

Younger students will also be welcomed back to renovations.

The Denton Avenue School parking lot reconstruction, which began July 13, is set to be complete by the start of the school year.

The new comfort station construction is also set to be complete by September.
(Photo courtesy of Herricks Public Schools)

Renovations to the Denton lot, which Superintendent Fino Celano said has had traffic issues in the past, will make drop-offs and pick-ups safer and quicker.

The revised lot will add a lane, extending the drop-off and pick-up loop. A few parking spots will be lost in the process.

During the construction, the lot will be closed to all vehicles. The building will remain open to visitors and staff via a walking path to the school, Celano said in a letter to parents.

Students who attend the YMCA Summer Recreation Program at Center Street and are dropped-off and picked-up at Denton, can contact the program staff about where to arrange drop-off and pick-up, Celano said in the letter.

The only project not set to be finished in time for the start of school is the new 1,600-seat bleachers to accompany the new comfort station, and track which was completed in May.

The old bleachers have been taken down, and new ones are set to be in place by Oct. 15 – in time for the Oct. 26 homecoming.

In the interim, contractors will provide temporary bleachers by the field.

The track, which was closed for a couple of days after it’s May unveiling, was reopened on Friday after the lines were re-painted.

Reach reporter Rebecca Klar by email at rklar@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516-307-1045, ext. 204, or follow her on Twitter @rebeccaklar_.

Share this Article