Fred Niccum, the Galveston school district director of facilities, gave Eyewitness News exclusive access inside the school. Central was Galveston's and Texas' first all black high school and was originally built more than 100 years ago. Saving the historic school is considered a priority. Another priority is to rebuild according to federal regulations, which includes following a unique standard, building a wall all the way around the school.
"(A brick) wall (is what) we're going to put up around the school for flood protection," Niccum explained. "It's going to be right at six feet. ... We are sure that this will prevent future flooding into the building."
Entrances and loading docks will be equipped with floodgates that will activate during a storm. An extreme measure GISD officials say they have to follow.
"If we happen to have another hurricane later this summer, or in the future, we will not get paid FEMA money to rebuild," Niccum said. "So it's incumbent upon the district to take mitigation efforts and do what's right to keep this from possibly happening again."
FEMA money is expected to pay for 90 percent of this project. At least seven bids will be presented to the Galveston School Board next week, ranging from eight to nine million dollars to rebuild. The FEMA money, coupled with a $1 million insurance claim check, should provide enough for the rebuilding. The school is expected to reopen for classes in 2010.
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