Modernizing Havre de Grace High School would involve extensive renovation, 48 months of construction and $61 to $66 million, according to a report commissioned by Harford County Public Schools.
The Board of Education is scheduled to vote Dec. 3 on how to proceed with the school's aging infrastructure. Superintendent Robert Tomback and a group of architects presented the board with four options last month: renovation, modernization, modernization with Congress Avenue closed and replacement. The presenters recommended replacing Havre de Grace High School.
This is the second in a series detailing the proposals. See more on renovation here.
Modernization would greatly impact most structures on the campus, according to the architects' report, called the "scope study." Here are the major changes:
Demolition
- gym
- technology wing
- three-story classroom wing
- two-story guidance/media wing
Construction
- cafeteria and three-story classroom wing where gym and three-story classroom wing are now
- second-floor walkway across Congress Avenue
- gym near Pennington Avenue and N. Juniata Street; old gym would stay for interim
- new bus loop where two-story media/guidance wing was
Construction time: 48 months
Cost: $61,212,772
Opportunities: compliance with building and educational regulations (not the case now); new school entrance on Pennington Avenue; corridors connecting main buildings
Challenges: disruptions during construction, when students would have classes in portables; less parking than code requires; bus stacking not possible for pick-up
Modernization Option Two
Same as above but Congress Avenue would close, becoming a pedestrian promenade; plus, first-floor corridors would connect the classroom buildings to gym and auditorium.
Construction time: 48 months
Cost: $65,199,566
Opportunities: the Congress Avenue courtyard, Pennington Avenue entrance and walkways between buildings create "campus feel"; expanded bus drop-off
Challenges: disruption during construction, Congress Avenue closure requires city and voter approval, less parking than code requires
