LA GRANDE — A milestone is on the horizon for construction crews building La Grande Middle School’s Wildcat Center.

“The roof should be on by the end of the month,” said Jerod Teeter, the project manager and estimator for Mike Becker General Contractor, the La Grande construction company building the Wildcat Center.

The roof will be put up after all of the metal framing work is completed and much of the building’s external shell, which is also described as its siding, is installed.

All but the north end of the building’s external shell will be installed this month. The north end will be left open to allow for a forklift to move in and out of the structure during the construction process, Teeter said.

He noted that despite this, once the roof is installed, the interior of the structure will be protected enough from the elements that it will be able to be heated. This will allow for concrete and masonry work for the building’s mezzanine and its elevator shaft.

“We don’t want it to freeze,” Teeter said. “The heat will keep it from cracking.”

Construction of the Wildcat Center, which will have three gyms and six classrooms, started last summer, but the magnitude of its size became apparent in the past four weeks when framing work began.

La Grande School District Superintendent George Mendoza said when he looks upon the size of the project, he reflects upon the great sense of appreciation he feels for the community that passed a $4.845 million bond for the structure in 2022. The passage allowed the La Grande School District to receive a $4 million matching bond for the project.

The superintendent also said he feels grateful for the La Grande School Board and the school district staff and students.

“I appreciate how much so many people have done to make this possible,” he said. “We have great people supporting this school district.”

Teeter said construction of the Wildcat Center has been aided by the relatively mild winter Northeast Oregon has experienced. He noted, though, that strong winds have slowed construction at times.

The Wildcat Center is set to be completed this summer. Mendoza said the first day the building will be open for occupancy is scheduled to be Aug. 1.

The Wildcat Center will replace the La Grande School District’s Annex gym, which is just northwest of La Grande Middle School. The aging building, which is almost 100 years old, will be torn down this summer and converted into parking space.