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Graveraet improvements shown to public

By Christie Bleck 3 min read

MARQUETTE -- Some parts of Graveraet Elementary School have that "new school" smell.

Marquette Area Public Schools Superintendent Bill Saunders led a walk-through before Monday's board of education meeting to show recent improvements to the school.

"This was the former principal's office," Saunders said of one area. "We needed another first-floor classroom space. They were able to convert this. We had to take the space away from what was the old actual main office."

A big vault in the middle of the room had to be removed, he said.

"Pretty seamless right now," Saunders said. "It looks like it was always here, but certainly, it wasn't."

The adjoining bathroom also is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The main office, then, had to be redone, with one wall changed.

"It had kind of a dropped ceiling in the main part here, so we were able to lift the ceiling and drywall that, and give it a nice finish," Saunders said.

Another change was the Front Street entry.

"This was actually a mishmash of old doors and other things that were the storefront," Saunders said. "It turned out really nice."

The entryway now is more symmetrical, ornate -- and practical.

"Some things you don't notice is the security so we can lock down and buzz these doors," said Saunders, who added the system will prevent anybody from getting into the hallway. "We put the handle on the opposite side in case somebody were to knock out the glass."

The main locks can't be opened once they are locked down, he said.

Saunders also pointed to another new feature: the five cut-out parking spots on Front Street, which will include handicapped parking.

Also available is short-term parking for parents.

"They can come in and grab their kids for a medical appointment or something like that and not have to park in the back parking lot and walk around," Saunders said.

Dressing rooms have been refurbished with a new bathroom and makeup counters.

"We probably kind of quadrupled the space," Saunders said. "It was just two little small rooms."

Kaufman Auditorium is located in the Graveraet building, so theatrically inclined students will benefit from the upgraded dressing rooms.

Marquette Senior High School junior Karen Ludwig was particularly impressed, pointing out users of the former space had to change in a bathroom.

"Now it's way more room, " she said. "It's awesome."

Her twin sister Megan said: "It's going to be so convenient and nice to have this space just right there, brand new. The lighting … it's going to be so appreciated by everybody, not just high schoolers but the community as well."

Kaufman Auditorium is used for many concerts and other cultural events.

Saunders talked about the walk-through at the regular board meeting.

"We've had an extreme shortage of elementary classroom space, so part of the plan was to incorporate another classroom here, which we did," Saunders said.

To pay for the work, voters passed a $6.285 million bond proposal in August 2016 that extended and expanded a 1994 bond, which was set to expire in 2020. In 2016, that millage was reduced from .58 mill to .38 mill, with the August approval increasing the levy back to .58 mill and extending the life of the bond to 2030.

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.

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