Remainder of Thomas Jefferson Elementary construction on hold until next summer

Other than a small amount of dirt work left to finish, construction of the Thomas Jefferson Elementary renovation project is “on hold until next summer,” Newton Superintendent Tom Messinger said at a school board meeting Monday night. Likewise, progress has been made at Aurora Heights Elementary.

In an update with school board members, Messinger also explained the main beams for the second-floor classrooms at Aurora Heights are set. Crews are getting closer to completely pouring the second-floor slab and getting the glass framing in different areas of the building started, too.

According to school documents, canopy work continues at Thomas Jefferson and the new camera installation is also underway. Bi-State Contracting, Inc., of West Burlington, is completing the construction work at Thomas Jefferson, which has seen significant progress. The Thomas Jefferson project cost $5.4 million.

October marked a year since the Newton Community School District awarded the $12.8 million contract to Graphite Construction Group to complete the extensive renovation at Aurora Heights. Last month the school district announced the structural steel and a good amount of concrete work had been finished.