DRAW’s Mark Scheller shows plans for the renovation of Slippery Rock Area High School at the school board meeting on 9/25/23. Photo Credit: William Pitts/Butler Eagle.
The Slippery Rock Area School Board received an update on the latest plans for the high school renovation project during its meeting on September 25. Presenting the updated plans were Mark Scheller from the local architecture firm DRAW Collective and Jon Thomas from the Pittsburgh-based project management company Thomas & Williamson.
Key Project Details:
- The estimated cost of the high school renovation project is $29 million, with $15.2 million allocated for essential infrastructure improvements and $1.2 million for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Contracts for the renovation project were approved during a meeting on September 11.
- The primary focus of the renovation project is the modernization of the high school’s aging mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The plan also includes adding more ADA-compliant ramps and toilet stalls.
- The project aims to create an educational environment equipped to deliver a 21st-century curriculum to students.
- Renovation plans extend to the kitchen and cafeteria, which will be transformed into a “food court”-style experience similar to a shopping mall, featuring a pizza station, an entree station, a salad station, and an outdoor seating area.
- Security is a major concern, with plans for a “secure vestibule” that requires visitors to “buzz in” via an intercom before gaining entry to the building. This measure is expected to enhance safety.
- Superintendent Alfonso Angelucci anticipates significant improvements, including better lighting and an enhanced instructional environment. Notably, air conditioning will be introduced to the high school.
- A concurrent renovation project for the middle school, where the recent meeting was held, is projected to cost $4 million.
- While the high school renovation schedule is tentative, the district hopes to begin the project in the summer of 2024, with completion targeted for 2026. Bids for the project are expected to be released by March 2024.
- DRAW Collective is also involved in assisting Knoch School District with its renovation plans for Knoch High School.
The Slippery Rock Area School Board’s approval of the high school renovation plans reflects its commitment to providing an updated and safer learning environment for students. The project encompasses essential infrastructure upgrades, ADA compliance, security enhancements, and the creation of a modern educational space conducive to delivering a 21st-century curriculum.