Updated: The latest video!
Early in the morning on Saturday, Aug. 20, a construction crew at Harker’s upper school campus pumped concrete into the footings of what will be the theater at the new performing arts center.
“We actually pumped approximately 1 million pounds of concrete over the course of about five hours,” said Mike Bassoni, Harker’s facilities director. The pour was carried out by a truck with a 136-foot boom that stretched nearly the entire length of the construction site.
One of the footings will act as support for the theater’s fly tower, which houses the system of ropes, pulleys, counterweights and other apparatus that stage crews use to lift and move various theater components such as lights, curtains, scenery and, occasionally, actors. Due to the size of the fly tower’s walls (which will be 75-feet tall upon completion), its footing is the largest of the two buildings. The remaining theater footings have been dug, and steel rebar has been applied, in preparation for another concrete pour on Sept. 9.
“We’re also working very quickly on the footings in the basement of the gymnasium. Those will be ready for pouring later in September,” Bassoni said. “We’re on track to keep these buildings ready for opening in 2017, and we’re very excited about the progress.”
Earlier in the month, lower and middle school families who donated to the capital campaign gathered for a pair of ice cream socials that took place in view of the construction site. Harker News will continue to post updates about the construction progress and related events every month, so stay tuned!
Beginning in June 2016 Harker launched two new state-of-the art building projects on the upper school campus, the result of a $45M capital campaign. The 33,000 square-foot athletic center, opening August 2017, features a 12,000 sq.-ft. gym, athletic training room with advanced hydrotherapy unit, and spacious team rooms. The Rothschild Performing Arts Center, opening spring of 2018, features a 450-seat theater with fly loft and hydraulic orchestra pit, a state of the art scene shop, vocal, instrumental, theater/musical theater classrooms and dressing rooms. For more information visit the news and video links below or contact communications@harker.org
Theater and Gym Project Videos
Articles
Construction Starts with Demolition and Cleanup – Short Video
Groundbreaking for Athletics and Performing Arts Complex on Track for Spring 2016
Harker Breaks Ground on New Theater and Gym
Harker Takes Historic First Step at Groundbreaking Ceremony
Athletic and Performing Arts Centers Construction Starts in Earnest
Rising Walls of PA and Athletic Centers Excite Students, Bring Maturity to Campus
Steel in the sky: performing arts and athletic centers’ strength on display
Athletic center interior components tailored to function throughout
Final athletic center amenities going in, grand opening coming Aug. 18