Bids in Hempfield high school project rejected

Hempfield Area school directors on Monday rejected bids for a multimillion dollar high school project after they learned last week that construction would cost more than expected.

The unanimous vote came after bids received last week for the first phase of construction totaled $149 million, which was millions of dollars over the district’s budget. That included a 28% increase in general construction costs and the almost doubling in cost of a new swimming pool.

“The public bids were opened last week and given the levels of the bids we have chosen to … reject the bids given that they came in at a high level, higher value than we expected,” school board President Paul Ward said Monday.

The project, which would tear the 66-year-old building down to its structural system and rebuild everything as new, has been in the works for several years after administrators completed demographic and feasibility studies. School directors voted last year to rebuild everything as new rather than build a new high school or renovate the existing structure.

At the time, the project cost was expected to range between $97 million and $110 million. But that price has been slowly increasing over the past year and a half.

The first phase of the project was originally projected to include construction of a new gym, natatorium and a secure entrance to the school. District administration, nurses and guidance counselors were to be moved into a space near the new entrance, and construction of science classrooms and additional space for things such as pottery classes were also scheduled.

Now, school directors are going back to the drawing board to determine how to move forward with the project at a more reasonable price.

Last week Oakmont-based construction company SitelogIQ officials provided school directors with a list of possible changes to save money moving forward. Those suggestions included creating a smaller arena space in the gymnasium and reducing the size of the swimming pool, eliminating a band room addition, and relocating technical and special education spaces.

Construction, which was originally supposed to start next month, has been delayed until the spring.