Addition project 'breaks ground' at Van Buren County CSD

Addition project 'breaks ground' at Van Buren County CSD Van Buren Community School District administrators and school board members gathered July 21, 2022, to kick off construction of a $6 million gym, athletics and classroom addition at the middle school/high school building in Keosauqua. The $6 million project is being led by Carl A. Nelson & Company in the role of construction manager agent. (CANCO photo)

1 year, 8 months ago

KEOSAUQUA, Iowa — Site work is slated to start soon on a $6 million addition to Van Buren Middle/High School, so school officials decided to make do with a pile of dirt in the parking lot adjacent to the building as a way to celebrate the project getting underway.

Carl A. Nelson & Company, the construction manager leading the project for the Van Buren County Community School District, brought out a collection of golden shovels July 21, 2022, to facilitate the ceremonial kickoff with School Board members, administrators and others who were in attendance, including representatives of SVPA Architects, which designed the building.

"We just really want to thank everybody. The community support's been great," Superintendent Jeremy Hissem said before joining board members and fellow administrators to scoop and dump a couple of spadesful of the loose soil.

The 21,500 SF facility is being built as an addition to the middle school and high school building in Keosauqua, Iowa. The addition will include a secondary gym, wrestling practice room, mezzanine with batting cages, two general classrooms, new restrooms and a new public entrance for activities.

Utility work had already started. Site contractors are expected to begin work by early August, with foundations being poured and underground piping installed before winter. Following a cold-season break, work will resume in the spring of 2023, with completion anticipated in July of that year.

  

The images above are renderings showing the completed gymnasium, athletics and classroom addition at Van Buren Middle/High School in Keosauqua, Iowa. (courtesy of SVPA Architects)

Above, representatives of Construction Manager Carl A. Nelson & Company, and SVPA Architects join Van Buren Superintendent Jeremy Hissem in the July 21, 2022 groundbreaking. (CANCO photo)