Building Trades News

Central High School Latest Project in LAUSD Construction Boom

School to Be Named After Labor Leader Miguel Contreras Creates 1,400 Jobs By Christopher Honey BTN Staff Reporter click to enlarge The Los Angeles Unified School District’s new Central High School #10, located near downtown LA, is the latest project in a construction boom that is helping revitalize the city’s school system. Slated to open for classes next fall, the 19.5 acre campus will contain 14 different buildings, with facilities for a food court, performance auditorium and library. The new school will offer over 1,700 seats in 71 classrooms for students. In a major tribute to the union movement, the School Board voted earlier this month to name the school after the late labor leader, Miguel Contreras, former head of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor. It is believed to be the first LA-area school named after a labor leader. Also on the same grounds, another high school is being developed, just to the east of the original school. Central High School #12 will be a small school, with only 500 seats. It is expected to be used as a charter school. Central High will feature nearly collegiate level athletic facilities that will be used shared with other local high schools. Facilities include a main gym and a practice gym, eight basketball courts and a world class football stadium. Three tennis courts are being built on the roof of the campus’ two story parking garage. The 50 meter swimming pool has eight lanes and will have stadium seating for 400 parents and students. Students will arrive for classes at their new school on Sept. 6. The school is slated to use a traditional calendar. Since construction began in March 2004, the project has employed an estimated 1,400 tradesmen, with 260 tradesmen a day working on the project in March and April – a number that is expected to increase as the school nears completion. A massive investment in the future of LA schools, the project will use: 150,000+ tons of CMU (concrete block) 32,000 cubic yards of concrete placed 4,600 cubic yards of shotcrete 3,000 tons of reinforcing steel The total cost of the project will be an estimated $150 million. click to enlarge Clark Construction is the general contractor and the campus was designed by Los Angeles architect Johnson Fain. Matthew Armendariz, who started as an apprentice with Plumbers Local 78 over six years ago, has been working on the school for more than four months. Central High is the second project he has worked on for the LAUSD. “It’s been a good career for me, and I’m looking forward to working on other LAUSD schools as they come online,” he said. James Wilder, a Sheet Metal Local 105 member, is also working on the project. “These kids will get a great school when we’re done,” he said. As for priorities for the union for the coming year, Wilder believes “We need to fight for better benefits, retirement and healthcare.” Alvin Aldiar joined IBEW Local 11 just over ago as an apprentice at the training facility in the City of Commerce and has been working on the Miguel Contreras school for less than a month. But, he said, “I’m learning a lot and I’m proud of the opportunities that union membership gave me.” Shawn Brogan is a traveler who came from Indiana – where he’s been a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 20 for the last seven years. It’s slow back home, he said. In California, there are better wages and more jobs. Unions are under attack in Indiana and Shawn did not like the idea of “working with guys not paying the dues, but the getting benefits.” Central High School #10 is part of the master plan to build and renovate the infrastructure of Los Angeles’ K-12 school system. Over one hundred new schools are expected to open by the year 2012, with all students returning to a traditional calendar school year.

 

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