Members of the Northampton Area School Board liked what they saw on their hard-hat construction tour of the $80.7-million Northampton Area Middle School and Secondary Campus Renovation Project Oct. 27.

"Having been in the old middle school when the architects made their presentations, what I saw today is phenomenal," said school board member Dr. Michael Baird following the tour. "It's all concrete and concrete block. It's going to last a long time."

"It looks amazing," said school board Vice President Jennifer Miller.

"I think the outside of the building is phenomenal," said board member Jean Rundle. "It is just humongous."

NASD Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik said the plan is to name each hallway after a cement company or product.

Jay Clough, principal at KCBA Architects, the architectural firm for the 273,000-square-feet middle school, said, "The lockers will be of different heights. The flooring will have different designs.

"It is a grid," Clough said of the school's design. "It will be a lot easier to get around in than the round one [the old middle school]."

"I'm just so thrilled to see this building put up," said Rundle. "It's something that the district will be very proud of. I'm just so happy that I was able to help get this building started."

The middle school, to open for fall 2015 classes, is to accommodate approximately 1,500 students.

Clough said the building is designed so that an addition on the north side of the classroom wing could accommodate an additional 300 students.

"Kudos to Joe Kovalchik, Terry Leh and the many other administrators," said Baird.

"It seemed to take so long," school board President David Gogel said.

"It took long," Miller added, with a laugh.

A new middle school has been a decades-long goal for NASD.

The middle school will accommodate sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Sixth-grade students now attend elementary schools in the district.

There will be a new library, gymnasium with seating for 1,500, fitness room, swimming pool and cafeteria.

The four-acre project includes a new field house, new parking lot, renovated Al Erdosy Stadium with new concession stand, lights, athletic field and track, a new athletic field and bus drop-off parking area at the site of the old middle school, and improved campus storm water system and roads.