ADAMS TWP — Citing fiscal responsibility and seeing similar projects in action, Mars School District officials this week recommended changing the scope of work on a proposed middle school project.

Earlier this year, district officials were given options for projects at the 50-year-old building on Three Degree Road, with board members leaning toward the option which called for new construction.

On Tuesday Superintendent Wesley Shipley said officials had taken a second look at the financial breakdown for the projects, as well as the way in which the building flow would work and the potential for future growth.

This included looking at what the district could actually afford, with Shipley saying there is currently $14.4 million on hand from previous bonds earmarked for the project. The district's borrowing power would allow for an additional $12 million, which would increase the yearly debt service by about $400,000 per year.

This breakdown led to an evaluation of other capital improvements throughout the district, which could include replacing aging HVAC units, plumbing and roofing. The district would potentially be stuck in a place where it could not afford to fund those projects if the full borrowing amount is used.

“If we spend all of the money that we have on the previous bonds and go out and max out our borrowing potential so that we can ... build new, what have we left ourselves to be prepared for future issues that may occur?” he asked. “We need to be prepared for those kinds of things.”

In comparing the proposals, Shipley said it would cost about $180 per square foot for the renovation plan compared to $250 per square foot for new construction.

The deferred maintenance at the school would cost $12.4 million, according to estimates by Thomas & Williamson Program Management. The district could save money by bidding portions separately and doing work in house, including pouring sidewalks and replacing windows.

The renovation plan would allow for future growth, with the classroom spaces being reorganized. The second proposal would have potentially called for class sizes to increase to address that growth, Shipley said.

“Option two, as we looked at it more and more, we realized just didn't give us the growth change that we hoped for,” he said.

The recommended modified renovation allows the district to make needed upgrades without borrowing money, and leaves the current footprint of the building. Collaborative spaces and an open configuration would be implemented, Shipley said, adding that the project is still in the planning phase.

“We're still in the conceptual phase, so if we're going to change, now is the time to do it,” he said, adding the project would still be on schedule to go out for bid in early 2019.

Additionally, Shipley said officials are worried about changes happening on Route 228 at Three Degree Road, where a major renovation project is planned in the coming years.

“We're having very little success in discussions with PennDOT about what's going to happen to our access there,” he said. “We're concerned if we build something that requires us to totally change our site plan and how people enter and leave our property, we're going to find ourselves behind the eight ball when they do change Three Degree Road.”

PennDOT spokesman Deborah Casadei said via email that PennDOT District 10's design unit project team is coordinating with the district and Adams Township on the access as part of the design process for the road construction project.

Shipley said he and board members visited Chartiers Valley Middle School, which was completed by the district's contracted architect, IKM Inc. While that project is “beautiful,” it also raised red flags about some of the similar features a new Mars Middle School would have.

Shipley said the spaces are wide open and loud, and classroom spaces are separated from each other creating a disconnect between teachers and students. While there are ways to address those issues, he believes it would be prudent to avoid those issues up front.

“We started thinking about do we really want some of the things that looked great on paper, but now we're not so sure when we see them in real life,” he said.

Board member Christine Valenta said the visit to Chartiers Valley was helpful in seeing the proposal in play and realizing the potential missteps that could present themselves.

“It's one thing to look at a plan ... on a sheet of paper and say that looks good and that makes sense, but when we walked in (Chartiers Valley) it took me only about five minutes to realize that structure was not in the best interest of the students or the teachers of that district,” she said.

District Solicitor Tom King reiterated that no decisions have been made about the project, and all discussions will be held during public meetings in the coming months.

This breakdown outlines the two proposals for a renovation project at Mars Middle School based on information provided by the school district.Option 1The footprint of the existing building would be unchanged, with updates made to the exterior and HVAC system. The academic spaces would be modernized to bring more natural light into classrooms, and three classrooms would be converted into an open learning commons.Renovations would occur while school is in session, forcing a phased construction schedule and requiring temporary accommodations for some classrooms. The total cost of that project is estimated at $12 million to $15 million.Option 2A tower would be constructed in the parking area adjacent to the existing main entrance. Once that work is completed, students would move in, allowing for the southern portion of the existing building to be demolished. The rest of the building would be renovated, including upgrades to the exterior, academic spaces and HVAC system.A new main entrance would be built facing Route 228, resulting in traffic patterns being redrawn. The plan also would expand and relocate parking, although it would result in the elimination of parking near the district’s athletic fields. The second proposal contains an option for a 1,700-seat gymnasium to be added following the completion of the main project.The cost of this project would be between $15 million and $18 million.