By Ryan Fournier
Machines are at work in the field at 1134 Park Ave. So far, work has been preliminary. With the help of favorable weather, Hoch Construction hopes to be fully under way by the middle of December, according to Hoch owner Kyle Priest.
Weather, as much as anything, may determine the timeline of the project. Priest pointed out. With good weather, he estimated the first building would take six months from start to finish. Hoch, and the project owner, Collegiate Housing International, hope to be done with the second building by August. This deadline comes just in time for students to move in comfortably before the 2018 Fall Quarter.
Local comapnies will be used for the project including Hoch and all the subcontractors. Furthermore, all the lumber is being bought from Angeles Millworks.
“Being able to use local subs is a big deal for me,” said Priest. He pointed out that depending on the job it’s not always possible.
Hoch has worked directly with Peninsula College on a number of occasions. They assembled the infrastructure (electrical and plumbing lines) for the new Allied Health building, which houses the Medical Assisting and Nursing Programs, as well as the Early Childhood Education Center. Hoch replaced the roofing and flashing of the welding shop and the gym in 2016, remodeled the J and P buildings in 2012 and 2013, and did improvement work on the gym in 2013.
Priest’s uncle’s company, Gary Priest Excavating, worked with Hoch on the Allied Health building. They are involved now in the student housing project as well.