Workers top off new Chinook Elementary School

By Reporter Staff • November 6, 2021 5:30 am
Iron workers from Ironworkers Local 82, Seattle, set the last beam on the rebuild of Chinook Elementary School. Vicki Alonzo, Auburn School District.
Iron workers from Ironworkers Local 82, Seattle, set the last beam on the rebuild of Chinook Elementary School. Vicki Alonzo, Auburn School District.

The ancient Scandinavians used to place a tree on top of a new building to appease the tree dwelling spirits uprooted during its construction.

Iron workers Local 86 of Seattle performed a toned-down version of the rite Oct. 29 when it placed the last beam of the future Chinook Elementary School at 3502 Auburn Way South, with no spirits perturbed.

An estimated audience of 30, a mixture of district officials and construction workers, looked on and signed the beam before it assumed its position.

“We are grateful to the iron workers who have kept this project on time and on budget to be ready for our students next fall,” said Auburn School District Superintendent Alan Spicciati.

The future Chinook Elementary, which opens next year, is being rebuilt on the same site as the original, which was completed in 1963.

In November 2016, Auburn voters passed a $456,056,000 bond to replace six aging schools and build two new elementary schools, and Chinook was among these. In addition to Chinook, the bond has replaced or will replace:

• Dick Scobee Elementary, built in 1954, completed in 2020.

• Lea Hill Elementary, built in 1965, complete in 2022.

• Olympic Middle School, built in 1957, completed in 2019.

• Pioneer Elementary, built in 1959 completed in 2021.

• Terminal Park Elementary, built in 1945, complete in 2023.

Two new elementary schools, Bowman Creek, which was completed in 2020, and as as yet unnamed elementary school, completed in 2021, will provide increased classroom space. The timeline for finishing all of the projects is about eight years.

Here some facts about the rebuild:

• Estimated construction cost: $45 million

• Site size: 13.18 acres

• Main building size: 74,000 square feet

• Covered play area: 2,800 square feet

• Parking for about 240 vehicles and 16 buses

• Space for six future portables

• Synthetic turf field

• Hard surface play area

• Play equipment areas

• Campus secured with perimeter fencing

• 650 student capacity in new building, 150 student capacity in future portables

• Two-story building with sloping metal roof

• 32 general education classrooms, 6 special classrooms