By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — The St. John Civic Center is 85 percent done, with only a few projects left to finish before its January 2006 completion date.

Sizeler Architects representative Brian Faucheux gave a full update on the Civic Center’s progress at the Nov. 22 council meeting.

&#8220The contract is complete with just about all the remedial work that was necessary due to wind damage caused by the hurricane,” Faucheux said. &#8220We are back on schedule to get the project completed. Based on our last site visit we estimate we are at about 85 percent of the construction project to completion. The main roof area is 100 percent completed. The building is water tight. The exterior walls, which sustained some damage due to sheathing being wet and some membrane flashing had to be replaced, are about two-weeks to completion.”

Faucheux said the power should be on within the next couple of weeks, and that the main assembly areas and the gym were re-sheet rocked and are ready for final painting.

&#8220The finished acoustical ceilings, lighting, air-conditioning grills will be going in within the next week,” he said. &#8220Finished flooring in the lobby should start Dec. 12. All materials and equipment are on site.”

Because of the last change order approved by the council increase the ceiling height, ductwork has been started and should be completed in about three weeks.

&#8220The current completion date is Jan. 30, 2006,” he said. &#8220They do anticipate after the contractor now that he is finished, sent us a letter saying he anticipated up to 60 days possible delay due to the hurricane.”

Faucheux said due to some change orders they had some extra working days and that they are waiting on a revised schedule from the contractor.

&#8220We are waiting on the schedule from him to see what impact the delays will have,” he said. &#8220Along with the additional days we gave him with the additional work in the building to see if some of that is overlapping. It may be as much as 30 days that we may consider for hurricane days, with that we anticipate a possible end of February for completion.”