Naperville Central renovations ahead of schedule

Naperville Unit District 203 officials can see the finish line for the $87.7 million renovation of Naperville Central High School and it's likely in August.

Board member and facilities committee Chairman Terry Fielden said the newest schedule has the entire project, barring a rainy summer, being complete by the beginning of next school year.

“It's very close at this stage and after spring break we will have occupancy in the north addition of Central and they'll be using that,” Fielden said. “And going into the summer, the front entry work will be ahead of schedule and if all goes well during the summer and we don't encounter any major delays, the project should wrap up by the beginning of school, according to the latest projected schedule.”

The addition and renovation project at Central includes roughly 170,000 square feet of new construction and 370,000 square feet of renovation at the 3,000-student school at 440 W. Aurora Ave.

“There's six weeks we made up in the fall because of dry weather so that allows the north addition to be turned over,” Fielden said. “If we hit a stretch of bad weather or it rains extensively there's going to be some delay in that turnover. But if all things go well, everything should be wrapped up by the start of the school year.”

Principal Bill Wiesbrook is keeping his fingers crossed.

“I'm excited about the potential that in August, when school opens, the entire project might be finished,” he said. “That would be terrific.”

The south addition opened to students in August.