A Walking Tour of the New John Burroughs Construction Projects

During the summer, John Burroughs students are gone, but the campus these days is a bee hive of activity. Hundreds of Paric Construction workers and sub contractors swarm the property daily, working on two major projects.

By the end of 2012, the Performing Athletic Center will be complete, and hopefully, by early 2013, the same goes for the two-level Performing Arts Center adjacent to the football stadium and baseball field. Because of the size and scope of the project and because of the stucco finish, the performance center will take longer to complete.

Clearly, this is the most ambitious building project in the school’s 88-year history. Ed Phillips, Burroughs’ director of operations took Patch on a walking tour of the fenced in projects.

“We are on schedule. It is very hot and the workers are having to knock off by 1 p.m. but we haven’t had any rain so everything is going fine,” reports Phillips.

Phillips explained how once this project is complete, there will be a new student commons and an expansive green space to further enhance the Ladue campus. An open street of sorts will go from end to end, showing off the new buildings.

Construction costs are estimated at $30 million; $20 million for the performance center and renovations to the existing Cissel Center. The new Haertter Hall, 53,000 square feet of theater space with balcony, reception area, black box theatre, costume storage, dressing rooms, scene shop, dance studio, band room, choral room, music storage and rehearsal rooms will sit atop the space previously occupied by the outdoor pool.

The athletic center will house new locker rooms, fitness center, coaches offices, a concession stand and other amenities supporting the 600 seat facility. Burroughs will have enough seating capacity to host district competitions in the future.

Here is the tour of the construction area by photo and by video.

This is a previous report on the John Burroughs web.