The Bristol Township School Board spent a good chunk of Monday night’s meeting discussing the two new schools that are set to begin construction in the coming weeks.
Credit: BTSD
David Schrader of Schrader Group Architecture told the board during a briefing that the cost of the new schools came in about $1.7 million more than originally anticipated. The new cost is $42.9 million and was originally $41.2 million. Schrader attributed the rise in cost to higher than expected asbestos removal, financing and permitting costs.
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It was revealed at the meeting that the Bristol Township Council was not expected to cut the district a break on permitting costs. Schrader said the district will now pay about $385,000 in permit costs per a site for the buildings at Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School on Mill Creek Road and James Buchanan Elementary School on Haines Road if the permit break is not granted by the council.
Several school board members balked at the news.
Board Vice President Patricia Koszarek commented that the project was “the best we could do for the students and taxpayers.” She also implied that the council went back on their word.
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The cost of construction only came in around $29 million for each school, which is under the $39 million cap the state requires for the district to get PlanCon reimbursement, Schrader said.
He added the cash-strapped district “did very well” in terms of keeping the cost below the state cap.
While the ceremonial ground breaking for the two schools will take place Thursday, both board President Angela Nober and Superintendent Dr. Samuel Lee said the district does not yet have a concrete date on when actual construction will begin. The district is still awaiting permits to allow work to begin.
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Schrader said the the construction crews will work to minimize disruption to the students during the construction.
The two building are supposed to be done by the start of school in September 2015.
The two Levittown schools were approved by township officials several months ago. Plans to build a similar 1,300-student school at the Mary Devine Elementary School site in Croydon are still awaiting preliminary and final land development approval from the council.
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Under the district-wide plan, Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School would close, while Neil A. Armstrong Middle School and the former Benjamin Franklin School, currently home to the district administrative staff, would be renovated for middle school students. Harry S. Truman High School would not see any major work done and Clara Barton Elementary School would be re-purposed into the administration and maintenance building.
