Hunking Construction Starts ‘Any Day Now’

Haverhill Public Schools’ leaders anticipate Hunking School construction will begin “any time now.”

The word comes after the Hunking School Building Committee last week approved “90 percent complete construction documents” for the estimated $61million project to serve about 1,000 students in grades K through 8.

“The first signs of activity on the site will include the installation of fencing around the portion of the site where the construction will take place during the first phases of the project. Shovels will enter the dirt later in the spring,” a spokesperson said. “The project remains on schedule and on budget, with a completion date estimated at the end of 2016 or beginning of 2017.”

Last June, Haverhill voters approved an estimated $21 million debt exclusion for the city’s share of construction costs over a 20-year period. The new school will be constructed on playing fields near the existing Hunking School, which has faced long-term damage to the foundation and structure. When the new Hunking is completed, that structure will make way for new playing fields.

The next scheduled meeting of the Hunking School Building Committee is Tuesday, April 14 in the school department conference room.