55°
A pair of facilities project to replace damaged ceilings in the middle and high school will be completed by the end of the month, according to Superintendent David Quattrone. The emergency repair work was required following a partial ceiling collapse in July.
After an inspection by district architects and structural engineers, the Board of Education opted to completely replace the ceiling, rather than temporarily fixing the ceiling and putting off a long-term solution for a later date.
The ceiling replacement of two middle school classrooms has been completed, while the other four classrooms will become available on Sept. 9. Work on six high school classrooms are scheduled to be completed by Sept. 23, with classes being moved to temporary locations in the interim.
“Board members expressed support for the more comprehensive approach, which will completely remove the ceiling asbestos in most third-floor classrooms,” Board of Education President David Brashear said about the decision to spend nearly $1 million on the replacement project.
An additional project to add a concession stand and new bleachers is a month behind schedule, Quattrone added. The project, which has been wholly funded through the Bronxville School Foundation, is expected to resume in the middle of the month.
A controversial decision to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether or not to install permanent lights at Chambers Field is also near completion. Residents have expressed concern regarding the lights, citing concerns over their aesthetic appeal, light pollution and property values.
Brashear said that the results of the study will be ready for the September Board of Education meeting on Sept. 19.
“A key and required component of [the feasibility study], will be an environmental impact analysis, focused on the ability to contain the spillover impact of the light that is generated,” he said. “The board is proceeding with this initiative with an open mind, and is being systematic in its approach.”
Finally, the $10 million auditorium and science renovations is still awaiting the approval of the New York State Education Department. Last year, voters approved the project, which will renovate the auditorium and science facility. Work is still expected to begin early next year and should be completed by the beginning of the 2016 school year.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Bronxville and receive free news updates.
