If district builds new school, it might look like this

Peters school board hasn’t yet decided whether to build a new high school on the grounds of the former Rolling Hills Country Club, but the board recently saw a conceptual design for a new school should it decide to build one.

The design proposes a $90 million to $95 million, three-story school that was described as three pies stacked on top of each other. The largest pie would be on top, a medium-sized pie would be in the middle and a small pie would be at the bottom. Part of the building would be tucked into the hillside on the property.

It would have 285,000 squarefeet, compared with the 243,000 square feet of the current high school, plus a 2,000-seat gymnasium, an eight-lane pool and a 1,500-seat auditorium. The design also includes 400-plus student parking spaces and an additional 100 spaces for parent/visitorparking.

Hayes Design Group presented the proposal at the board’s May 22 buildings and grounds committee meeting. Kevin Hayes and the firm’s project managers, Mark Duane and Robert Rensi, discussed the design.

If the board decides to build the school, it would be built on about 50 acres of the former country club parcel with entrances off Center Church Road and East McMurray Road.

“There’s another 47 acres we haven’t looked at for development,” Mr. Duane said.

The proposed design takes into consideration the topographical nature of the site.

“We have to navigate 30 feet of vertical drop, and the hillside slopes down,” Mr. Hayes said. Describing the building’s three levels, he said, “They kind of go on an angle down the hillside.”

The largest level, at the top, would contain the main entrance to the building and would house administrative offices, the auditorium, media/television studio and an academic wing. It would also have overlooks to the gym and media center/library onthe middle level.

The middle level, which would be tucked partially into the hillside, would also house the aquatics center, cafeteria, kitchen, classrooms, weight room and fitness rooms.

The lowest level would contain more classrooms and learning support and also provide the opportunity for an outdoor classroom space.

Board member Minna Allison likened the design to a Frank Lloyd Wright structure.

“There’s also unexpected areas that you could use,” such as the spaces between the media center and the stairs, she said.

Although no decision has been made as to whether to move forward with a new school, the board agreed May 16 to move forward with investigating the idea. The design concept is on the district’s website: http:// www.ptsd.k12.pa.us/protected/ iid=63GPG20&dasi=4GBBB

The next buildings and grounds committee meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 12.