Details of a planned renovation project at Mars Middle School were discussed this week.

ADAMS TWP — The scope of a planned renovation project at Mars Middle School became clearer this week.

District officials have been discussing the project at the 50-year-old building on Three Degree Road since the beginning of the year, after a facility study indicated repairs and upgrades were needed.

In February, the school board was presented two options for construction by Thomas & Williamson.

Under the first plan, the footprint of the existing building would remain 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. The total cost of that project is estimated at $12 million to $15 million.

These renovations would occur while school is in session, forcing a phased construction schedule and requiring temporary accommodations for some classrooms.

The second proposal involves construction of a tower 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.

Board members supported the second option, though they expressed concerns about the cost. They directed Wes Shipley, superintendent, to see design bids for a project between $15 million and $18 million.

On Tuesday, Matt Hansen, principal with IKM architecture firm, presented an update on the project. He said the main project would take 17 months to complete. If a new gym is built, it would add on eight months of work.

The first phase of construction involves building the new two-story academic learning tower next to the existing building.

Next, renovations would be done on the existing building to reorganize administrative areas and create a secure captured vestibule at the entrance. Then, a portion of the existing Mars Middle School will be demolished.

Hansen explored the concept of having small learning communities in the school instead of long corridors with classrooms on either side. The hallways are great for moving kids around, but otherwise don't hold much value in the educational process, he said.

In the learning community, classrooms and other shared learning spaces would be grouped together with a central entrance room with lockers.

“The concept is we can use space more efficiently for 65 to 75 percent of the day,” Hansen said. “(The students) can get to know each other better. They can get to know their teachers better. … We know that has a dramatic impact on learning.”

In between the learning communities would be the spaces for electives and other centralized used spaces.

Hansen said the goal is to get construction documents ready to go to bid by the end of January 2019, with construction to begin in May of next year.

Cranberry Bureau Chief J.W. Johnson Jr. contributed to this report.