Ford's BlueOval City partners to build temporary schools for Covington post-tornado

Omer Yusuf, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Updated ·2 min read

Ford’s BlueOval City construction partners are working together to build two new temporary structures for two Tipton County Schools that recently suffered catastrophic damage from a tornado less than two weeks ago.

An EF3 tornado on March 31 hit Covington and Tipton County, leaving one person dead and 28 others injured. Crestview Elementary and Crestview Middle School were left unable to hold classes for the remainder of the school year due to damage.

Ford’s BlueOval City, along with Walbridge, Sunbelt Rentals, United Rentals, Phillips & Jordan, Ideal Contracting and ArchKey, have partnered with Tipton County Schools to provide those two structures to serve students and staff at no cost to the district for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year.

Anne Adams, the principal of Crestview Elementary, looks at the damage to the school and surrounding area in Covington on April 1, 2023. An EF3 tornado hit the area on March 31.
Anne Adams, the principal of Crestview Elementary, looks at the damage to the school and surrounding area in Covington on April 1, 2023. An EF3 tornado hit the area on March 31.

“After the recent tornado devastated Covington, Ford, Ford Fund and our construction partners jumped to action to ensure the bright minds of Crestview Elementary and Middle School could finish their school year,” said Marianne Dunavant, BlueOval City Government Affairs Manager and Covington resident, in a statement. “We are here to help our community in this time of need and lend a hand as a good neighbor should.”

The City of Covington provided Cobb-Parr Memorial Park, 100 C E Moss Parkway, as the site for the two buildings. The Ford Motor Company Fund — the company’s philanthropic arm — and Walbridge, Ford’s general contractor on BlueOval City, have provided $500,000 for the project.

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The construction partners have provided funding, labor, equipment, infrastructure and expertise to erect the temporary structures for the more than 1,300 students and faculty of Crestview Elementary and Crestview Middle School, according to a news release.

Construction is expected to take two to three weeks and up to 20,000 trade hours. Tipton County Schools plans to update the community on progress as well as the long-term plans for Crestview Elementary and Middle Schools through the district’s website and social media.

Ford and South Korean company SK On plan to create approximately 5,800 new jobs at BlueOval City, located about 17 miles away from Covington. Production is scheduled to begin at the site in 2025.

Omer Yusuf covers the Ford project in Haywood County, FedEx, tourism and banking for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached via email Omer.Yusuf@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @OmerAYusuf.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ford to help build temporary schools after Covington tornado