New High School > Project History > Fall 2005 Updates

The New High School Project took some important steps forward at the start of the 2005-2006 school year, with the project moving from the planning and design phase toward the pre-construction phase.

State Officials Give Preliminary Review of New School Design and Public Comment
On October 6, 2005 the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) preliminarily reviewed the SASD's new school design and financing plans (Plancon D and E Documents), as well as all public comment and correspondence from August's Act 34 Public Hearing. The new school's plans received very positive comment from Mr. Timothy Hare, State Architect with PDE, saying, "Your design looks great."

Mr. Hare explained to SASD administrators the future Plancon requirements that will pave the way for the development of pre-construction documents.

Selecting the Project's Construction Manager
District administrators and the board of School Directors continued interviewing potential construction management firms whose services would entail the supervision and coordination of construction activities during the 30-month construction phase of the $113 million project. Two firms, Bovis Lend-Lease and D'Huy Engineering Inc. were selected as finalists. Both firms made hour-long presentations at a special meeting of the School Board's Operations Committee on October 10th. Both firms answered questions related to preparing bid documents, attracting quality contractors, managing schedules and costs, and working closely with new school neighbors.

The Operations Committee will continue the process of selecting a construction manager at its next meeting on October 19th.

Working with Local Officials
The Franconia Township Planning Commission continued its review of the Land Development Plans for the new Souderton High School during September and October. Engineers from the Township and the project's Architectural Firm agreed upon additional landscaping and buffering to address neighborhood concerns about potential light and noise levels. District and Township officials continue their collaborative efforts on issues such as storm water management, roads, sewers, and infrastructure in the development of the new high school and the greater Franconia Township community.

Keeping An Eye on Project Timeline
The upcoming phases of the project will prepare for an anticipated groundbreaking in the spring of 2006.

The next six months will include the following milestones:

• Hiring construction management services to supervise and coordinate the numerous contractors and subcontractors that will be involved in the project.
• Completing constructibility reviews of the design drawings.
• Developing clear and specific bid documents to attract quality contractors and limit the potential for costly delays.
• Acquiring all necessary township and agency approvals.
• Putting the project out to bid
• Awarding bids and construction contracts
• Breaking ground!

So what will happen to the old high school?
That is the most commonly asked question. A definite answer will be clearer after the SASD signs the formal construction contracts. If bids come in over the established total project cost, the district may have to find cost savings-savings that might be achieved by using existing facilities. Once the SASD is sure that construction contracts allow for permanent independence from existing facilities (such as the stadium), the formal process of deciding the fate of the old school can begin. At this point, possible uses for the old school include outright sale, lease arrangements, or a combination of the two.