Restful nights ahead as Naperville Central clears more hurdles

As the first day of school at Naperville Central High School approaches, construction officials say they've lost no sleep fretting over the opening.

Several district and construction officials were going over some final details during Wednesday morning's weekly construction update when Naperville Unit District 203 school board member Jim Dennison asked what "potential heartburn inducers" lie ahead.

"I hate to ask you to crystal ball it, but what's keeping you up at night?" Dennison asked.

Tim Bickert, senior project manager with IHC Construction Companies, said all major hurdles have been cleared.

"I feel very good and comfortable that school is going to open and that's not an issue," Bickert said. "Now we're at the stage of figuring what's going to be an inconvenience."

As of Aug. 25, those inconveniences are likely to include waiting for the remaining counter tops to be installed in the four remaining science labs; an atrium stairway that will remain blocked until the glass handrails are custom installed and certified safe; any electrical or plumbing hiccups that occur with new buildings; and the ongoing construction of the north addition that includes the music and band wing.

The 3,000-student school at 440 W. Aurora Ave. will open with a three-story, $87.7 million addition that will house all major subject areas. It also will have infrastructure upgrades, a new learning resource center, new athletic and music spaces, improved traffic flow inside and out and synthetic turf on the football field.

When all is said and done, the project will have affected about 75 percent of the building.