Hempfield Area School Board Considering How To Revamp High School Building

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - Hempfield Area school board members are set to make a very important decision on the future of the district's high school.

From the outside, Hempfield Area High School looks like it has weathered the decades well but looks sometimes decieve.

"When you go inside, you see the deficiencies that we have," said school board member Jerry Radebaugh.

According to a recent feasibility study, the building shows problems like structural deterioration, antiquated HVAC systems and classrooms that need help.

"One of the main outcomes of the study is that our high school is not up to standard," Radebaugh said.

The study proposed three options. The first one is renovation at a cost of $81 million.

"Pretty much we'd just be able to update the inside," said Radebaugh.

Next up is revitalization: "Taking the current structure and taking it down to steel and concrete," Radebaugh explained.

That plan would allow for some expansion and rearranging the structure, costing between $97 and $109 million.

Finally, option number three would be a sweeping brand new high school, fully updated at a cost of $122 million.

"We need to make sure our kids and teachers have the best infrastructure available," Radebaugh said.

The district has three public town hall meetings for public input on the plans. Dates and times for the meetings can be found here.

The school board plans a vote on the project on March 8.