Southern Lehigh School Board mulls $50 million renovation proposals

A nearly $50 million proposal to renovate most of Southern Lehigh School District’s buildings got no closer to moving ahead or being scrapped after the school board was presented with a second opinion of the project’s cost.At Tuesday night’s board workshop meeting, members were presented with a cost analysis conducted by Doylestown-based Reynolds Construction, which examined earlier estimates made by KCBA Architects of Hatfield, Montgomery County.KCBA inspected all the district buildings and gave the board an analysis last year that contained six options of what could be done to each building along with the costs.The proposal chosen by the board, “Option 6,” includes a series of renovations and improvements to district schools with more emphasis on Liberty Bell Elementary School and the construction of a performing arts center at the high school.The Reynolds cost summary increased the $47 million price tag, moving it to $51 million. The change is based on several added provisions, including a weightlifting room, a construction manager and a 5% hike for increased construction costs.While the summary had costs for middle and high school renovations, athletic fields and a storage building, the board’s discussion focused mainly on the work proposed at Liberty Bell.Board member Jeff Dimmig has had no enthusiasm for the proposal, and that continued Tuesday night when he saw a line in the Reynolds summary that read, “Hopewell could be a quick, easy add at some point in the future if no work is occurring at Liberty Bell.”The estimate for work at Liberty Bell is about $17 million and includes a new roof, new heating, ventilation and cooling system, reconstructed security entrance, new parking lots and driveways, and additional classrooms.What caught Dimmig’s attention was the last line of the Reynolds report, which priced classroom additions to Hopewell Elementary School at $300,000.“I like that last line,” he said.“If [Liberty Bell] only needs a roof or HVAC, it makes sense to do the work at Hopewell,” he said.He said of the overall cost summary, “These numbers are not all persuasive to me.”District Director of Support Services Todd Bergey said the work associated with installing a roof and HVAC requires tearing out significant portions of the building and because of that, it would be appropriate and cost effective to make the renovations.”The roof is already leaking. The roof was installed in 1999 and it’s a 15-year roof. We can keep patching it for years but it would cost the district more in the long run,” he said.Board President Emily Gehman said considering the district is in an uncertain period of not knowing what the student growth rate will be, the Hopewell option should be kept in reserve.Dimmig, along with board member Corinne Gunkle, said they need more information about the projects before the proposal comes before the board for a vote.Speaking about the Liberty Bell project, Gunkle said, “I need to understand where all this [money] is going. Is the secure entrance $1 million?”According to a copy of the Reynolds report, estimates for the projects were compared to KCBA estimates. The cost comparisons are as follows:- $5.4 million for middle school improvements; $437,000 less than the KCBA estimate.- $21.4 million for high school renovations including a performing arts center; $2.4 million more than KCBA.- $4.2 million for athletic fields improvements; $553,000 more than KCBA.- $721,000 for a district storage facility; $70,500 more than KCBA estimate.Also included in the report was the addition of a fitness center at $200,000 and a stormwater drainage system for the stadium at $250,000.The board agreed to assemble a list of questions about what will be done to each building and what each of those projects cost.Bergey said after the meeting that once he has the questions and has them answered, he will present it to the board.Charles Malinchak is a freelance writer for The Morning Call.
Source: Morningcall