New Watertown High on track for 2014 finish

Wilson County Director of Schools Mike Davis said construction at the site that will eventually be Watertown High School is "going along very good."

The building at 15 Neal Road, which will be built by contractor R.G. Anderson Co., will be a 227,458-square-feet facility and is scheduled to be completed June 2014. The cost is estimated at $39.9 million.

Davis said currently the entrance to the new school is near completion, and some of the slab has been poured and more is being poured "as we speak." He also said the football field is now graded and an irrigation system installed, and the new field house is ready for its roof.

"There have been no hiccups so far," Davis said Thursday, adding he expects the project to come in at or below budget.

The new Watertown will complete the modernization of all the county's high schools, and Watertown residents have expressed excitement their town is finally getting a new facility.

"It's a tremendous investment for Watertown, the largest in recent memory," Davis said at the ground breaking ceremony last year. "It'll pay dividends for future generations."

The new building is another milestone for historic high school, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding in May 2012.

The school has had three incarnations since the first building was erected in 1911, including the current school. Town leaders raised money to build the original school, so no county funds were used. The cornerstone from the original school was used in the ensuing Watertown High Schools, including the current school. That cornerstone will also make the trip to the fourth Watertown High School as construction nears completion.

Davis said Watertown High School is having a tremendous year.

"They just had their 100 year reunion; they were in the top 5 percent in test gains, the football team had a great year, and the basketball team is in the Elite Eight. And next year they'll get a new school," Davis said.

It looks like smooth sailing for the new Watertown High School.

"I wish all projects could go like this one," Davis said.

new WHS Photo: Submitted to The Democrat

An artist's rendering illustrates what the new Watertown High School will look like when it is completed.