CTE Center gets permits, lays foundation 

After significant delays due to permitting issues, construction for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center has finally begun.

On Friday, Sept. 20th, Pence Construction received permits from the city to begin the actual building. “We had permit delays with the city and so we are behind schedule but we are working to make up for lost time anywhere we can,” said assistant principal Valoree Hill. “We were waiting on the city for the permits. It was a back and forth between the district and city but now since there’s movement there will be updates.” 

Other issues have popped up in the construction process like discovering old plumbing  which had to be decommissioned and removed but no other issues that should affect the construction.

Pence construction, who are the ones doing the construction for the new CTE center, at the moment are working on the foundation before they begin to build the actual building itself. “They did all they could until permits but now we’ll see actual change,” said Hill.

The construction has affected the south of campus, with the Howard F. Horner Performing Arts Center being affected possibly the most with the entire parking lot being reserved for Pence construction.

This isn’t the first time Pence Construction has been here at DDHS; back in 2013 they were the contractors who constructed the Aquatics Center where Water Aerobics, Water Polo, Swimming in P.E., and more occurs. 

Pence was able to build that facility in just under a year, which beat out the estimate and deadline the district had made for them. 

“More than likely it’ll be more than a year,” said Hill.  “It is much larger than the Aquatic Center but Pence is very good at what they do. We are anticipating that it will be open during the 2025-2026 school year but not in time for the start of the 2025-2026 school year.”