Architects Sought for Armstrong River Hawks Stadium
The original plans for the new Armstrong Junior/Senior High School football stadium will be re-drawn by perhaps a new architect in 2017 (KP File Photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
With Armstrong Junior/Senior High School built and State construction reimbursements finally coming in, Armstrong School District board directors now hope to re-focus on building a new sports stadium.
Last night, school directors approved to solicit for architectural services to complete the River Hawks athletic complex, as recommended last week by Financial Director Sam Kirk.
“When the (Armstrong Junior/Senior High) school plan was originally done, there was an athletic complex proposed at that time. Half of that athletic complex has been completed (by way of tennis courts and softball and baseball fields),” Kirk said. “It went out for bid almost two years ago now, and it came back very high to do the whole (complex).”
In August 2014, L.R. Kimball Project Manager Brian Hayes presented school board members with $9.1-$10.5 million cost estimates for the athletic complex at their first open caucus session of the 2014-15 fiscal year.
A total $9.1 million bid was calculated for the 3,500-seat football stadium alone from the five lowest bids opened in June 2014.
“Those bids absolutely are high -we’re trying to explain to ourselves why they are,” Hayes said at the time. “I think it’s a number of various conditions and circumstances surrounding the project.”
Visiting bleachers would have cost an additional estimated- $300,000 and the ideal running track for around the competition football/soccer field would have cost about $92,000.
Kirk said last night, services for the ‘scaled-down’ version of the stadium would be solicited – which include the six-lane track and fieldhouse full of concession stands and restrooms - but an architect would not be appointed until at least January.
In January 2015, Engineer Brian Hayes also proposed at least a dozen cutbacks to the new $10 million athletic complex – including eliminating the visitor grandstands (thereby also reducing the bathroom and concession facilities) constructing a smaller field house with less locker rooms and considering only a six-lane track and four tennis courts instead of six in new bids – to entice more competitive bids when the district is ready for construction.
At that time, it was thought stadium ‘scale downs’ might reduce Armstrong’s eligibility to host regional tournaments, but would not limit any team athletics.
School Superintendent Chris DeVivo approved of Kirk’s recommendation.
“I think it would be smart to take a walk and see,” DeVivo said Thursday.
In August, Kirk said he hoped to build the stadium (which would include a track and also be home to the River Hawks soccer teams) for about $5 million.
With the revised timeline, officials hope to open the stadium for the Fall sports season.
Armstrong School District, Local Sports | jweaver November 15, 2016
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By Just sayin, November 15, 2016 @ 6:23 AM
Is Trump going to pay for it?
Have we decided to now get a football field because of all the money we’re going to save with Trump being el presidento?
How about Rosebud after Trump puts the coal miners back to work?
Mr. Snyder, are you out there??????????
By jd718, November 15, 2016 @ 7:41 AM
I say Go For It! Armstrong County is the place to spend Big Money!
By jorn jensen, November 15, 2016 @ 7:47 AM
The only way Trump can pay for it is if he successfully improves the economy of the area such that taxpayers can afford to pay for it.
Trump has much bigger fish to fry than worrying about little ol’ ASD in Armstrong County, PA.
Rosebud should rebound quite nicely with Trump/Pence in office. Great day in the neighborhood!
By cartman, November 15, 2016 @ 8:00 AM
Leave it to the school board to take the most expensive route open to them. They could have consolidated into existing buildings, but they went whole hog. I can’t help but think that a very nice facility could be made from an existing one, for a lot less than nine million. Oh well, it’s only money, and they seem to have a lot of it. Oh, justsayin’, is every issue cause for an anti-Trump rant. You are embarrassing yourself.
By ktown_kid, November 15, 2016 @ 8:43 AM
That’s the way to think!! Just keep spending. If you clueless clowns were smart, rosebud would of already had this built for you. So how much of a tax increase will this cause?
By futureconcerned, November 15, 2016 @ 8:49 AM
There are Elementary SCHOOL students sitting in subpar buildings on the Eastern side of the District and YOUR top priority is a stadium. The ASD School Board should be ashamed to show their faces. Oh wait, they are. They moved their meeting site to the farthest reaches to western side to the district.
By jd718, November 15, 2016 @ 9:15 AM
@ cartman, You never tried to stop Jensen from his never ending Obama rants! 2-faced much? LOL Carry-On Sayin, T-Rump is not in charge yet! LOL
By mad-2010, November 15, 2016 @ 9:40 AM
“Oh, justsayin’, is every issue cause for an anti-Trump rant”
Cartman, jensen went on for years interjecting the current President anytime he wanted and never a word from you! Maybe you should put a lid on it, cartman, why be a hypocrite?
This is America, down with Fascism! Freedom for All!
By ktown_kid, November 15, 2016 @ 9:46 AM
I wonder if rearick and choncek come up with these brainstorms on how to waste taxpayers money while they are boozing outside of the belmont complex. Just keep grinding away at people’s pockets!
By jorn jensen, November 15, 2016 @ 10:55 AM
and, futureconcerned, their agendas are stealth agendas with no line items listed, especially under personnel. Attend a meeting - see for yourself.
By steve, November 15, 2016 @ 12:49 PM
cartman- Is justsayin embarrassing themselves as much as Jorn when he cries about Pyle every chance he gets here?
By bigjohn, November 15, 2016 @ 1:49 PM
Just sayin appears to be a democrat that lost and can’t get over it. Maybe he needs a participation trophy.
By opie2, November 15, 2016 @ 4:31 PM
Hey what about them Clowns?
By Patzu, November 15, 2016 @ 5:11 PM
The article does not delve far enough into the issue….where is this money co ing from to pay anything for this field?
Like somebody said earlier, there are MUCH, MUCH MORE pressing needs in this school district!
I guess the Madness is back. Nobody cares. Apathy at it’s best.
By jorn jensen, November 15, 2016 @ 7:48 PM
People complain about this board’s addiction to spending but people don’t show up at school board meetings. Show up and raise hell. They won’t keep you there long - they can get through a full agenda (blank pages for guests) in 15 minutes or less.
By Just sayin, November 16, 2016 @ 6:11 AM
Rip Van Cartman:
In case you haven’t heard…
there is great political unrest out there on both sides…what I’m doing is MILD. So shut up and put up.
By jd718, November 16, 2016 @ 6:45 AM
@ bigjohn, It’s still America! @ opie2 How about them trolls? I agree, Steve…. How about that FBI Director!
By jd718, November 16, 2016 @ 6:50 AM
@ Patzu, People do care, but! What are the people going to do about the spending and make sure the other needs are also looked into……
By savvynewshound, November 16, 2016 @ 7:18 AM
You’re right Jorn. It’s easy to blow through an agenda when they rubber stamp and agree on everything. Will our test scores go up with the new school? taxes down with all the cost savings? still waiting for all of the businesses to flood in because of our schools.
By jorn jensen, November 16, 2016 @ 8:21 AM
savvynewshound - “rubber stamp and agree on everything” points directly to breaking the Sunshine law. This is done via electronic communications and is very common throughout Pennsylvania elected ‘offices’. Sunshine law needs updated, and people need to be prosecuted, but who will take the bull by the horn?