Built over one hundred years ago, the wooden section of the St Rose’s High School was deemed unsafe and had to be evacuated completely over the past year. Also, the auditorium has not been used as a general meeting hall for the last five years to ensure that there are no mishaps.
The structure will be demolished shortly and during its reconstruction which will last for 24 months.
A statement from the Board of Governors of the school said the faculty and students will be relocated to various safe areas on the School’s premises away from the cordoned construction area.
It was noted that the decision to demolish the building was taken only after exploring every option to preserve the building given its historical importance and architectural integrity
Engineers have put the demolition at $30M.
The contract was awarded to Trinidadian company, Bynoe, Rowe & Wiltshire for the architectural design and consulting services.
According to a statement from the Board of Governors of the school, the contract to design and provide the relevant documents, manage and oversee the project’s execution and delivery of the final agreed replacement building, was awarded after tenders were put out regionally.
It was pointed out that the intended new replacement structure will incorporate many aspects of the original design and will include retention of the green space courtyard area, a unique feature of the school.
Further, the Board of Governor says it is also utilizing independent engineers to ensure the delivery of the agreed final design.
This it noted will take into full account the aesthetics in keeping with the expectations of the stakeholders, the history of the existing structure and adherence to current local and international environmental and building codes and standards.