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In east Multnomah County, crews are taking advantage of summer to replace a pair of elementary schools. One is East Gresham Elementary, at 900 S.E. Fifth St. There, general contractor Bremik Construction is leading construction of a new, two-story school and demolition of the original single-story building, which was designed by Edmundson & Kochendoerfer and built by general contractor Johnson & Sterner in 1950.

Subcontractors are scrambling to put the finishing touches on a new, 76,000-square-foot building scheduled to open in time for the 2019-20 school year. Concrete tilt panels atop a slab-on-grade foundation and structural steel comprise the backbone of the building, which will feature 24 classrooms along with specialized learning rooms, gathering spaces and flex spaces.

The new school will also include a media center overlooking the cafeteria, a music room, a covered outdoor play area, a gymnasium, and new vehicle parking.

DLR Group designed the project for the Gresham-Barlow School District, which is paying for it with money from a $291 million bond approved by voters in 2016. Designers aimed to provide a new school with four key improvements: better daylighting and HVAC systems; a better learning environment with modern technology; better safety and security; and better parking for buses and parents’ vehicles.

Meanwhile, NorthStar, a New York City-based contractor, is handling demolition of the old school, which is riddled with asbestos in piping insulation and other items. NorthStar crews licensed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality were required to seal off one room at a time with plastic sheeting and regulated air flow to abate the asbestos.

School district employees, meanwhile, removed furniture, cabinetry and any other equipment that might retain value. Blackboards, drywall and other materials were removed, and demolition was expected to continue through July, Bremik Construction superintendent Grant Lang said.