renovation project Thursday. Photos by Heather Bell.
By Heather Bell
RADFORD – The new and improved footprint of McHarg Elementary School is coming together nicely
these days, but supply chain delays have pushed the completion date forward by several months.
On a tour of the site Thursday, Radford City Public Schools Superintendent Robert Graham said the
project is moving along well now, but the cost of building materials and months-long delays to get steel
and other supplies has made it daunting to say the least.
“Steel was ordered for the gymnasium in December, and it came in in July,” he said. “And the costs are
so much higher when you can even get what you’ve ordered. We have these change orders coming in and
it’s stressful, but it’s nobody’s fault. Avis [Construction, Inc.] has done a super job working with us.”
School officials have worked with contractors to cut $1.2 million from the specs of the original project to
stay on budget due to the higher costs of building products. Manual shades will replace powered shades in
the gymnasium, for example. Additional funds from coronavirus relief funds were also used to
supplement the budget.
Graham said the original completion date was slated for this October, but has steadily moved forward to
the current estimate of March 31, 2022. That means McHarg and Belle Heth Elementary schools will
remain a combined campus for the entire 2021-22 school year.
The new school includes 18 grade-level classrooms and will accommodate grades Pre-k through second.
A new gymnasium, an impressive library and STEM learning area, a lot of glassed areas for natural
lighting, and inviting courtyard areas are just some of the features that stand out. Security features are
state-of-the-art, and the HVAC system offers high level filtration and individual classroom temperature
control.
“I’m so excited to see this finally happening,” said Graham, reminiscing about the nearly two-decade
process in bringing the project to fruition. “This building will truly allow us to give 21st century
instruction in a 21st century learning environment.”
Construction began on the original portion of McHarg School in 1956 and was completed in 1957 at a
cost of $443,428. The school originally served first through seventh grades with an enrollment of 360
students.
