PEPPER PIKE, Ohio – The Orange Board of Education has approved a contract with Cleveland-based Albert M. Higley Co. that will provide a larger and more secure entrance to the Pepper Pike Learning Center (PPLC) and provide other renovations to the building.
The renovations approved on Monday (August 26) primarily serve the Orange Community Education and Recreation (OCER).
In addition to the new secure entrance, plans include adding a canopy, converting four current offices into two classrooms for OCER, creating an additional area for office space, and building additional restrooms.
The Higley Co.’s guaranteed maximum price (GMP) is approximately $1.42 million and includes five alternatives for rooftop units.
The base price is approximately $1.29 million. The cost of the rooftop units ranges from $21,875 to $35,680.
The PPLC houses OCER’s administrative offices as well as its preschool, youth, theater, and adult education programs and offices.
OCER shares the cost of repairs and improvements to the PPLC with the district.
Board member Scott Bilsky asked Ted Roseberry, director of business and operations, what would determine whether and what alternatives the board should consider.
Roseberry said each roof unit will be individually assessed based on repair needs and evaluated during construction.
“We could say we can handle all five, or we only need two of the five – depending on what we need,” he said.
Bilsky asked Roseberry if he would know “fairly early in the process,” and Roseberry said yes.
Regarding the new classrooms, Bilsky asked how quickly OCER would be able to reap the rewards of this development in terms of hiring new teachers.
“We can deploy them as soon as they are ready for after-school programs or something like that,” said Jill Korsok, director of OCER.
The board has been discussing the contract since it was submitted for review on July 15.
ThenDesign Architecture of Willoughby is providing design services for the renovation.
Construction is scheduled to begin in early October and be completed by February 1, Roseberry said.
“Hiccups” explained at OHS
Also on Monday, Roseberry provided an update on Phase 2 of the Orange High School redevelopment project.
The goal was to complete the project before the start of the school year on Thursday (August 22).
However, the start of the school year at Orange High School has been postponed until Monday (August 26) due to an unforeseen functionality issue with door latches and locks in the renovation areas of the school.
For the students in the other buildings, the school year began as planned.
“It’s been a great start to the school year, except for the little issue at the high school,” Roseberry told the board.
“Despite all the setbacks, such as the lack of kitchen equipment, the new flow pattern and the temporary situation we are going through, even the largest lunch group did very well. They liked some of the changes we made.”
Roseberry said it was an “excellent decision” by Superintendent Lynn Campbell to delay the start of the school year at the high school and explained the reason behind it.
“We had pre-cut door frames; they were pre-cut to accommodate an electronic deadbolt,” he said.
“We set up remote key access to the classrooms and pre-cut them to make the transition smooth. They were pre-cut incorrectly so the latches didn’t fit and that was the delay.”
Roseberry said all of the school’s doors have been checked and are now properly locked.
“We still have some problems,” he said.
According to Roseberry, one of these problems is that a new elevator cannot be installed until September 9.
“The elevator is there, but the crew won’t arrive until 9:00 a.m. to install it,” he said.
“And our kitchen equipment, which was supposed to arrive here on August 16, is now also scheduled for 9:00-9:00 a.m. We expect the kitchen to be remodeled for the centennial celebrations.”
The district’s centennial celebration is planned for September 27-29.
“But as far as safety goes, the building is definitely safe and even some of the issues we discussed were resolved by (Monday),” Roseberry said.
Roseberry said the high school students were excited to be back in the building.
“Some of the teachers have been happy with the sound systems we installed and there is definitely a difference in how quiet the rooms are,” he said.
“You can’t hear the room next to you anymore. So I think it will definitely affect the educational process.”
A board member asked Orange High School Principal Jamie Hogue if he had received feedback from students about the renovations.
“Yes, one student said, ‘Mr. Hogue, it’s like we have a brand new high school,’ and that was from a second-grader,” he said. “They really liked it.”
“They see that it’s not finished yet, but they really like it. Lots of good feedback, especially in the cafeteria and in the hallway.”
Phase 2 of the Orange High School redevelopment project has been underway since June.
In January, the school board approved a GMP of just over $3 million for Phase 2.
It includes the second floor, the basement and the common area, which also includes the cafeteria.
Phase 1 was completed last fall at a cost of approximately $3 million and included the classroom wing on the first floor of the high school.
The Higley Co. is serving as construction manager for the project.
“I just want to thank the board for what started a few years ago, post-COVID, with conversations about the need for sound improvements and infrastructure needs to make Orange High School what it is today,” Campbell said.
“If you walk through there now, it is no longer the same building as it was a few years ago.
“This learning environment means a lot to the children. It’s exciting and the children in the building have noticed.”
Bilsky added, “When you’re in these classrooms, just like at Brady (Middle School), you feel like you’re in a brand new building. (The renovations) have created a new atmosphere.”
The next board meeting will take place on September 9th at 6:00 p.m.
