Blackford County Schools Auditorium Construction on Schedule; Parking Lot Paving May Be Delayed

From the Blackford County Schools Board meeting on July 21, 2026

Construction on the Blackford County Schools auditorium remains on schedule, with precast walls complete for Phase 1 and the steel structure finished through the curtain wall and stage area.

Meyer Najem, the construction firm managing the project, presented a drone photo update to the school board. Remaining precast panels are expected to arrive later this month, with all precast work complete by early August. Interior slab-on-grade preparation began this week, and a fire protection line running from the new gym hallway to the auditorium is complete.

Work to restore school hallways is on track before the August 5 start of school. Ceiling pads are being installed this week, and braces in corridor areas are being removed. The board plans a September meeting on-site at the high school for a construction walkthrough.

Three pumps are back online following mechanical work, with two more being demolished for replacement. A set of hallways that was never upgraded to LED lighting during prior projects has been identified, and a quote is being requested. That cost would come from project contingencies.

A separate complication could delay parking lot work: a planned mill-and-overlay paving contract for the lot adjacent to the auditorium may be paused due to an underground diesel tank that the district may need to remove first. The superintendent does not want to pave over the tank and then dig it up later.

Source: YouTube transcript — Blackford County - School Board Meeting - July 21, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.