Elizabeth Forward School District details plans for upgrades after fire at high school
ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — Elizabeth Forward School District is moving forward in a big way after a fire destroyed the high school's auditorium last year.
On Wednesday, KDKA-TV got a look at a series of upgrades planned for the auditorium and gym, plus a new heating and cooling system underneath the gym.
Leaders feel now is the time to update as much as they can at the high school.
"We have this opportunity to do something and rethink our high school that hasn't been touched in quite a long time, so we are excited," Elizabeth Forward Superintendent Keith Konyk said.
The new, bigger gym will be where the old auditorium used to be. On the other side of the school will be a 1,000-seat auditorium.
"We are going to have catwalks, state-of-the-art lighting, sound, acoustical engineers working on sound," Konyk said.
The building's existing facade is getting updates to match those additions, plus a main entrance with stronger security.
"Our high school does not have a secure vestibule," Konyk said. "This is going to allow us to have that secure vestibule where folks can come in and be buzzed into a waiting area."
Elizabeth Forward School Board Secretary Scott Henry said the project is expected to cost around $27 million. The district is trying to get reimbursed for what it lost in the fire and get grants to help pay for it.
"Ultimately, the price tag, obviously, is the price tag. These things aren't cheap, but we've done the right things as a board to put ourselves in the position to pay for this," Henry said.
In terms of the timetable, the district expects to break ground in the spring. Officials hope the project will be finished before the 2026 school year.