Building momentum

     Greensburg is abuzz with activity as the rebuilding process shifted into high gear this month. 
    "A lot of neat little things are happening," said City Manager Steve Hewitt. "We've got a lot of homes and businesses still coming in."
    On Oct. 10, officials broke ground on the new 4,700 square foot Greensburg City Hall building located at Wisconsin Avenue and Main Street. It will house the city's administrative offices and council chambers, and provide a space for town meetings and municipal court sessions.
    The project, designed by Brekebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell Architects from Kansas City, Mo., is being built to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum certification.
    To achieve this level, it will be equipped with solar-powered panels and use natural sunlight. It will also collect and reuse rainwater on site. Reclaimed brick and wood from the area will be used in the construction, Hewitt said. 
    Hewitt said the building has also been designed for safety. The structure is being built with insulated concrete forms, which are reinforced concrete walls with high wind and seismic resistance. An ICF safe room will also be a part of the building, which will provide protection against F5 tornados and severe hurricane winds.
    Hewitt said the goal for the completion of Greensburg City Hall is May 4, 2009, which is two years after a Level F5 tornado hit the town.

Greensburg schools
    BNIM will also break ground on the new USD 422 K-12 campus on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
    The 122,000-square-foot campus located on Main Street will house the city's children and contain common areas such as the library, media center, cafeteria and courtyard. New athletic facilities, including a practice gym and main gym, will also be constructed.
    Superintendent Darin Headrick said the school is being built to be highly sustainable and economical.
 The school will utilize energy-efficient features such as geothermal pumps, wind generators, natural light and rain water.  
 The school is expected to be completed by May 2010.

Other projects
    Construction on Kiowa County Memorial Hospital is also underway. An official groundbreaking ceremony will take place today at 1 p.m. The hospital is expected to be completed at the end of 2009 or the beginning of next year.
    The business incubator, which will house 10 businesses, is also making a lot of progress. It is expected to open in January 2009, providing lower rental costs to businesses during their start-up period. Once businesses are up and running, they will make plans to move into their own spaces.
    The all-LED streetlight project is working to replace the city's streetlights to use 40 percent less energy. This project is on pace to finish by December.

Innovation on sisplay
    Dwayne Shank Motors will have the new Chevy Volt on display during a community meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m.
    The Chevy Volt, which is set to debut in 2010, is an electrical car with a twist. For trips under 40 miles, no gasoline is used. When drivers go beyond the 40-mile battery range, gas and, in some vehicles, ethanol is used to recharge the battery.
 
    Reach Cherise Forno at (620) 408-9931 or e-mail her at cherise.forno@dodgeglobe.com.