What you need to know about the $49.5 million Manchester schools project

VaselineJune 29, 2024

0 2 minutes read

What you need to know about the .5 million Manchester schools project

Workers are busy putting the finishing touches on Manchester Local School District’s new high school, with the project 90 percent complete, construction officials said Monday.

“They work their backs off to get things done,” said Joseph Lammlein, senior superintendent at Shook Construction.

The $49.5 million project includes the high school; the transformation of the old high school into a primary school; a new stadium, field house and wrestling/weight room; and the demolition of the old Nolley Elementary School.

Voters approved funding for the project in November 2019.

Four months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, bringing delays and rising costs that forced changes to the original plan.

Dealing with inflation, supply chain issues

For some items, such as air conditioning units and electrical switch units, the time from order to delivery was considerable, Lammlein said.

“No matter what you do, you’re still there for 52 weeks,” Lammlein said.

More: Manchester schools are battling the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation to make way for high schools

Changes were also needed.

The new high school, for example, is a two-story structure. Initially, it was designed as a one-story building.

“From the time they submitted their obligation to when we were actually in the design stage, materials and labor (increased) 20 percent,” said Andrew Lowther, senior project manager at Shook.

Adjustments to the Manchester project

Rising costs have pressured the school board to seek state funding help and adjust its construction plans, said Board of Education President Steve Rector.

“It took a lot of planning, a lot of hours and a lot of meetings,” he said.

The district was one of the first in the state to deal with the economic changes that occurred as the pandemic subsided.

“We were at the forefront of that post-Covid world,” the chancellor said.

Superintendent Manchester a bridge between old and new in the district

The new high school is the first new school built in the district in the last 50 years. Current Superintendent James Robinson, who toured the nearly complete high school and the renovated old high school, recalls.

“I was here when they opened the high school in 1974,” he said.

But he will no longer be superintendent when the new school year begins on Sept. 9. Gary Hinton, a Manchester graduate and superintendent of Osnaburg Local Schools, becomes the new superintendent on August 1.

“Everybody’s Eyes On It”

The rector said that some members of the community paid special attention to the project.

“Everybody has their eyes on it all the time,” he said. “We have a lot of people in the trades here who are watching the progress.”

Lowther said the facilities will be ready in time for the start of school.

“It will be open when the district needs it,” he said.

A gallery of the build is available at https://shorturl.at/jFAdg.

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.

VaselineJune 29, 2024

0 2 minutes read

Dealing with inflation, supply chain issues

Adjustments to the Manchester project

Superintendent Manchester a bridge between old and new in the district

“Everybody’s Eyes On It”

Vaseline

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