Badin Principal Brian Pendergest updated the situation in a recent school publication where he wrote: “When the bidding process finished up (in the summer of 2018), the project cost far exceeded our budget. Since that time, we have been working hard to value engineer the building to make sure we are receiving the best quality at the best prices.”
“Although we had planned on starting construction on the Student Development Center this past summer, we are now looking at a spring of 2019 start,” said Pendergest, whose school is the only Catholic high school in Butler County.
Construction is now scheduled to start in the spring, he said.
Originally projected to cost $1.8 million, when the new, 8,000-square-foot wing of the Badin campus is completed in late 2019 it will be the first expansion of the school since 2006.
The school, which opened in 1966, has seen a historic enrollment jump in recent years.
Pendergest said the delay is a reflection of the financial responsibility school officials are exercising.
“We value the donations that we receive and want to be good stewards of your money,” he said.
“Several companies that have been friends of Badin over the years have submitted bids that have allowed us to lower the cost. We continue to work through this process and fully expect to start construction in the spring. The school board has expressed their full commitment to this project.
“As we continue to work with the companies who will eventually build the Student Development Center, we are also meeting with alumni and donors to secure the necessary funds needed to make this project a reality,” said Pendergest.
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