Extensive renovations to Norwin High School’s 60-year-old auditorium will move forward now that school board members have awarded $6.39 million worth of contracts for the project.
The school board awarded the $4.48 million general construction contract to R.A. Glancy & Sons Inc. of Richland; the $393,700 heating, ventilating and air conditioning contract to SSM Industries Inc. of Pittsburgh; the $1.48 million electrical contract to Allegheny City Electric Inc. of Pittsburgh; and the $34,500 plumbing contract to Shipley Plumbing of Ashton, Md.
The board voted 6-3 this week to award the contracts, with directors Christine Baverso, Bill Bojalad, Tim Kotch Sr., Heath Shrum, Nina Totin and Matt Thomas supporting the project, while Alex Detschelt, Shawna Ilagan and Ray Kocak opposing it.
The work will include replacement of the acoustics in the auditorium walls and ceiling, accessibility improvements to the seating and restroom, improvement of stage lights, rigging and sound system, refinishing of the stage floor and improvements to the instruction space.
All three directors who voted against awarding the contracts have been consistently opposed to spending that much money on the project.
“This money should go to the education of our students,” Detschelt said.
Kocak has warned that there likely will be cost overruns.
Daniel Engen, a DRAW Collective architect who has worked on the district’s auditorium project, told the board earlier this month that any requested change orders from the contractors would be thoroughly reviewed by the construction manager, Massaro CM Corp. of Pittsburgh.
“There will be a dance that goes on (with the change orders) into the next year,” Engen said.
At the same time, DRAW Collective is preparing specifications for the extensive renovations to the Norwin Knights Stadium. The home bleachers and press box will be demolished and a new grandstand, restrooms, concessions and various support facilities will be built, and a new track and turf field will be installed.
That project may cost more $24 million and would not begin until November 2025. The school’s football team would not have a home field for the 2026 season.