HORRY COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – Horry County Schools and First Floor Energy Positive remain optimistic two delayed school construction projects will finish in time for the start of the 2017 school year.
Horry County Schools contracted First Floor Energy Positive to build five new schools at a cost of more than $240 million. Two of the projects — Socastee Middle School and Myrtle Beach Middle School — are delayed, prompting concerns the two projects will not be completed in time for students to return to school.
News13 spoke with Robbie Ferris, CEO of First Floor Energy Positive, on Wednesday evening. He said the delay of the two projects is associated with building demolition for Myrtle Beach Middle and the purchase of land for Socastee Middle.
First Floor Energy Positive had hoped to start work on Myrtle Beach Middle in December, but the district found it had to relocate programs operating in the now vacated Myrtle Beach Family Center first.
Horry County Schools Chairman Joe DeFeo says crews are currently working on asbestos removal at the Myrtle Beach Family Center. He said he hopes to see building demolition begin in the next 30 days to clear the way for construction of the new school. DeFeo told News13 the target date for completion is May 1; however, the district built in extra time for weather and construction delays.
The Socastee Middle School project, however, is proving difficult.
“If we don’t own the land, we can’t tell them to build,” DeFeo said.
The district hopes to close on a piece of property in the Saybrook West development, located near SC-544 and US-17 Bypass, within the next three weeks. DeFeo says officials have been moving forward with local permitting, despite not fully completing the transaction.
DeFeo admitted that the construction of Socastee Middle may be delayed, but both he and Ferris anticipate the building to open for the start of the 2017 school year.
