New Albany-Plain Local gives construction progress update for new primary school and 50‑acre athletic campus; baseball fields targeted for Feb. 29, 2028

District leaders and construction partners updated the New Albany-Plain Local School Board on June 29 about progress on the new primary school and a joint district-city 50-acre athletic campus.

Mercilia Construction project manager Matt McManis reported demolition and mass grading completed, storm and sanitary sewers installed, footings and CMU foundations set and slabs poured in areas A (arts/musical spaces) and B (main entrance/administration). "The concrete slab on grade was poured in the first two areas A and B," McManis said, and crews poured the gymnasium slab and raised three gym walls to full height. He added that precast planks are being fabricated for delivery in August and that conduit and underground utilities are being coordinated with subcontractors.

At the high school, demolition of the tech hub is roughly 85% complete; crews are preparing mechanical/electrical/plumbing work, new elevator installation and floor infill. District staff said the project team is using building-information-modeling (BIM) workflows to coordinate trades and limit disruption to school operations.

Shore architects described a phased athletic campus planned in collaboration with the city. Phase 1A — district priorities including two softball and two baseball fields, press boxes, concessions and a hitting facility with associated parking and access — is targeted for delivery by Feb. 29, 2028, to align with athletic seasons. Other phases (1B and 1C) will deliver city amenities and additional facilities, while phase two (2028–2031) will include a fine-arts hub and science hub; specific dates for later phases are still to be determined.

The board was asked to review naming conventions for two schools associated with the reconfiguration: the new all-day kindergarten elementary will be New Albany Primary School and the reconfigured grades 3–4 building will return to the New Albany Elementary School name when work is complete (planned mid-year during construction).