Design board to consider demo

Southview High School to be green field

The start of the 2018-19 school year could be the beginning of the end of Lorain’s former Southview High School, 2270 E. 42nd St.

On Aug. 14, the Lorain Design Review Board is scheduled to review an application for a certificate of appropriateness for demolition of the building.

The Design Review Board action is necessary because Lorain City Schools is planning to take down a building that is not condemned, according to the city Department of Building, Housing and Planning.

If approved, the project would remove the high school building, its mobile classrooms, surrounding out-buildings, pavement, former Safety Town buildings, two baseball fields and the running track, according to plans.

Only the tennis courts would remain.

Demolition could start about Sept. 1 with the goal to be finished by November, said Charlie Fury, site superintendent for Hammond Construction of Canton.

The company is serving as construction manager for the demolition project, with Arkinetics Inc. serving as supervising architects.

Coleman Trucking Inc. of Cleveland was awarded the asbestos abatement contract, which will cost $360,000, according to district records.

The asbestos removal is taking place now, Fury said.

Moderalli Excavating of Poland is the demolition contractor; the company bid $524,700 to do the job, according to district records.

The 175,000-squarefoot school primarily is masonry, with some steel structure as well.

Crews built the school in 1969, with an addition in 1971, according to details from the pre-bid meeting held in May.

This summer, Lorain City Schools board members expressed concern about safety and security of the building, apparently due to break-ins taking place at the school.

The companies have set up motion detectors and sensors to monitor the inside of the building, Fury said.

Moderalli Excavating daily will make bricks available for people to take for souvenirs or other uses.

Other items will not be available from the building, which is in dilapidated condition, Fury said.

The Lorain Design Review Board is scheduled to meet at 3:30 p.m. in the first floor City Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave.