The tale of two schools— Ford City High School and Kittanning Junior High School are scheduled for demolition. Bids will be opened on June 23 to determine the contractors.
ARMSTRONG - Two former schools are being considered for demolition later this month.
In October 2016, State Senator Don White and State Representative Jeff Pyle announced a $1.5 million state grant was given to the Armstrong County Industrial Development Council (IDC) to help finance the demolition of Kittanning Junior High School and Ford City Junior-Senior High School. The former school properties closed upon the opening of Armstrong Junior-Senior High School in Manor Township in 2015.
In a press release, Senator White expressed concern that these buildings are deteriorating and are a financial drain for the school district since taxpayers must continue to pay for insurance, upkeep, and security for the structures. He said the grant will help “bring the sites back to a higher and better use.”
According to Armstrong School District (ASD) Board President Joseph Close, ASD initiated the grant.
“We moved forward to get the grant money, but the grant process had to go through the county. The grant money couldn’t come to us. Although we had to help to acquire the grant money, that’s the process it has to follow - it goes to the county, we turn the properties over to the county, they in turn handle the demolition, then they can try to market the bare land property.”
ASD Business Director Sam Kirk explained the process.
“Bids will be opened on June 23. They (IDC) are asking bids for both abatement and demolition of both buildings. The plan would be to demo Ford City first, and if there are sufficient funds remaining in the grant, we would see if we could tackle Kittanning Junior High. Once bids are in and reviewed, the hope would be, by late summer, demolition would start. That is the official time frame, but it is not etched in stone.”
ASD Solicitor Lee Price confirmed that ASD still owns the building.
“If things look okay, (ASD) will be giving (IDC) an option to purchase the property with their intent being to find a new developer.”
According to Price, IDC would initially purchase the property for $1. Once IDC finds a developer, and the property is sold for development, any profit realized from the sale would be split between ASD and the IDC. Because of the high cost associated with demolition, Price said that ASD is not anticipating a profit from the final sale of the properties to a developer.
“The District did a marketing study. We had somebody who gave recommendations on what they thought what was best for those properties. They were presented at a public forum, as well as forums at Ford City and Kittanning. Nobody has surfaced for them. I think with the Armstrong County Industrial Development Corporation involved, the goal is that they are more expert at finding developers for properties,” Price said.
In August 2016, TREK Development President William Gatti, Jr. proposed for the Ford City Junior/Senior High and Kittanning Junior High school buildings to both be demolished and townhouses to be built after the firm was not able to find a way to historically preserve the school buildings.
Preliminary plans including building two dozen, two-story townhouses for either families or seniors – with a fixed rent of an estimated $650 per month – to sit alongside both 4th Avenue and North McKean Street.
One Ford City resident has expressed opposition to the demolition of the Ford City High School building. Don Mains accused ASD of failing to get public input for other uses of the property.
“There has been no real town meeting! Trek, but no Armstrong School District,” Mains said emphatically. “They have stayed away because they know that the people from Ford City will turn out in droves.”
Mains said that he plans to attend Monday night’s school board meeting to voice his opposition. He has been developing a plan that could utilize the property as a glass museum and other uses. He said that staff of the National Trust for Historic Preservation say that “immigrant blending” should make Ford City High School eligible for the National Park Service Register of Historic Sites.
Price said he doesn’t see a developer coming forth prior to the demolition with a proposed use of the Ford City building.
“I don’t think that will come up. There have been too many attempts at people inquiring and they don’t follow through. I think there are more people, including representatives from those communities, who would rather see the buildings removed and get a fresh start.”
Close denied Mains’ accusations stating ASD in fact did hold meetings.
“We met with initial meetings with county commissioners, Ford City Borough Council, and Kittanning Borough Council. Both of those communities were excited about what Trek Development had to offer,” Close said.
Ford City Borough Council President Carol Fenyes has been quiet on the issue, stating that ASD owns the building and there is nothing the Borough can do.
ASD directors will be approving the 2017-18 budget at Monday night’s meeting and review the status of the new athletic stadium.
All of the schools were promised years ago to the KOZ program, yet, where are the businesses? Burden to the tax payer? Not focusing on education? Let’s build and open a new school that the tax payers can’t afford and let the children run it. Let’s have a super top heavy administration that do nothing to help the educational system of the district and let’s put more burden on the tax payers by building sports areas that only a small percentage of the student body can participate in and only some will benefit with college scholarships. How about actually putting money back into educating our students instead of footing the bill for sports or 150,000 each for administrators? Imagine what 80 million dollars could do for dwindling supply budgets, smaller class sizes, etc.? Yes, we needed a new school building- as unsafe as it is with one way in and out- but what we don’t need is to fund everyones agendas. ASD hasnt progressed in over three generations at the hand of politics and personal agendas. All that is left for any future in this sad area is heritage tourism and its being killed tooth and nail by individuals who only want to cater to low income and the poor. If you build it, they will not come ASD, commissioners, representatives, etc. Why cant anyone see the big picture in this county? It isnt going to get better building or no buildings. FCHS is a historic building as classified, but there isnt anyone in a non-profit sector that could refurbish it. ASD intentionally didnt care for it for decades. The last thing we need is more income-sensitive housing in this county, but the catering will continue-less a miracle.
Rat_Smeller, excellent comment and well-stated.
When I was on the Leechburg school board, we closed two elementary schools and demolished them as part of the plan. The ‘newer’ section of the Gilpin school had an interested buyer and it was sold. Today, it is a landscaping business, I believe.
We also tried to close the entire district in town, but could not get the votes. Today, it limps along, yet, on pride. Mills are closed - there’s no work - student population is down (graduate 40) and they hire a new superintendent that wants to spend money on the buildings while they can’t afford to send 52 kids to Lenape Tech full-time. 1/2 time is like $8k per student and full time is like $14k. Leechburg full time is $16k, making Lenape full time a bargain for the taxpayers. 1/2 time Lenape involves 4 bus trips, full time Lenape would be 2 bus trips - so, what do the kids learn on the bus?
Why don’t they want to send kids to full time Lenape? They can’t afford it? Maybe they’re protecting Leechburg teacher jobs as full time Lenape would provide the core subjects that Leechburg teachers do now - the math, English, reading, etc. There’s no maybe about it - the PSEA is strongly protecting teacher jobs - after all, their dues help fund the PSEA.
You can’t make this stuff up - that would require an amazing imagination - it is real.
The thing should have been closed in the 1980’s just like Armstrong Central should have survived the early 90’s. Thanks a bunch, Jim Solak!
@Jorn—-Your mindset focuses on buildings and not on education. The buildings were past their prime and even their usefulness. The consolidation made sense. There will always be people who criticize and the board chose to ignore people like you and to think about educational outcomes instead. No one was interested in the buildings and so this is a viable option. If you had a forty year old rusting car that doesn’t run anymore, you can tow it away or try to refurbish for some car show. Not many old building shows anymore.
Jorn, this board knew what they wanted to do the moment they took office. What you are witnessing now is poorly scripted political theater. When they all put themselves on the ballot the end game was to build a massive new school somewhere in central Armstrong County and to get rid of the old schools. The new school is now up and has been in operation for two years. It has been long since time for the old buildings to come down. The moment the first shovel of dirt was moved there was no going back. As soon as the doors for AHS were opened, the appointments should have been made to bring in the wrecking ball for FCHS and the two Kittanning buildings. Bringing these buildings down is really what is best for both communities now. Neither borough has the financial wherewithal to maintain them. I have heard of no legitimate offer from any credible individuals to purchase them and re-use them. It’s almost 6 years now since we knew that those buildings were going to be sitting empty. Surely in 6 years someone would have come forward with a credible plan for the re-use of these buildings. To those whose heartstring moan over the loss of your alma mater consider this question - Would you rather see these buildings meet a quick end at the face of a wrecking ball, or would you rather see them slowly decay over time and become an eyesore to your community?
JJ, There are few things more spectacular than a falling starr! J, back in the day they would put a guy on-point they knew couldn’t hack-it because they were a detriment to the others, they rarely made it out in one piece! In other words, Never send a boy to do a mans job, get it? Have a good one today, J. Stay Orange, my man! LOL
Someone please explain the ASD school board thinking process to me.
They close (no pun intended) 4 schools with no plan of what to do with them, abandon them, build a new school in an area that is inaccessible, but free as long as the taxpayers pay for the infrastructure to get to the school and retain all 4 principals and all teachers - and add a few assistant superintendents.
This was a ‘consolidation’. In a normal world, consolidation means grouping together to cut costs and improve services.
So, this is what? One or two years after the new school is open and we’re now learning of plans of what to do with the old buildings?
Isn’t that putting the cart in front of the horse?
When there was a plan to build a new school, wouldn’t it have been the responsible thing to have a plan for the old buildings? Or, do we just hurry up and build a new school and let the chips fall where they may?
It’s about time. It seems that no matter what you do with an old school, it still looks like an old, abandoned school. Some folks probably seriously believe that they can be reopened. Tear them down and move on.