FORT SMITH, Ark. — Construction crews are back at Fort Smith Public School’s Peak Innovation Center after last Thursday's heavy rain caused water to enter the building.
"Any water that rises from the ground and comes in, you got to consider that contaminated water," said Fort Smith Public Schools Exec. Director of Facilities Operations Shawn Shaffer.
In a news release to 5NEWS, Fort Smith Public Schools wrote that "The stormwater entered mainly inside the front office area and seeped into the adjacent hallway and neighboring classroom areas. None of the classrooms experienced damage, and all classrooms were operational today. A temporary receptionist station has been established to help direct visitors until the front offices are restored."
Up to half an inch of water reportedly entered the building.
"We're trying to investigate to try to figure out exactly why this happened because this is a new area where the water came in here," said Shaffer.
The first time the building flooded was on June 7, 2022. 10 to 15 feet of water entered the north and east side of the Peak Innovation Center. The flooding was caused by a drainage blockage.
"Right after that first flood that happened we started really digging into the details of what was the root cause," Shaffer said.
In late June 2022, Fort Smith Schools proposed four possible improvement plans ranging from $190,000 to $1.1 million dollars. That cost has since gone up.
"Our estimated cost is anywhere from $2 million to $3 million depending on the scope," Shaffer said.
The district says it’s about 90% finished with the improved design, and already has a contractor, which could begin work as early as the next two months.
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