Hayes Design Group Architects Hired by Peters Twp. School District to Design New High School
July 13, 2017
The Hayes Design Group – Architects (HDG) has been selected to design a new high school building for the Peters Township School District.
At a special Board meeting this week, the Board authorized an Agreement with the architects to provide architectural and engineering services for the schematic design through the construction administration phases of the project. The Peters Township School District previously hired HDG in April 2016 to perform a feasibility study to determine the viability of renovating the existing high school versus building a new high school.
Based on the feasibility study, the School District decided a new high school made more sense for the taxpayers of the District. “While Hayes Design Group showed that a renovation of the existing high school was possible to meet the District’s educational needs, the cost to do so was not the best return on investment for our community,” said District Superintendent Dr. Jeannine French.
In addition to the feasibility study, Hayes was commissioned by the School Board to assess the other facilities in the District as part of a strategic plan for capital expenditures over the next 10-15 years.
According to Dr. French, “Once the District had the opportunity to review the conditions of our facilities, and assess the financial impact for our community, the Board decided the best long-term decision for students and taxpayers was to build a new high school. We are eager to begin this process and look forward to a continued relationship with Hayes Design Group.”
Mark Duane, a principal at the Hayes Design Group and also a resident of Peters Township, said he is excited to work on the project. “It is a life-long dream to be able to design a high school for the District I grew up in and live in currently. This is a chance to contribute to the future of Peters Township and to help sustain it as one of the premier communities in which to live in southwestern Pennsylvania.”
A new high school has the potential to accelerate the educational strides Peters Township has made in the past decade. Kevin Hayes, principal and founder of HDG said, “The School District is a leader in education across our region. Over the past 16 months we have gotten to know this dedicated Board and administration, as well as members of the talented teaching staff. Our goal is to provide them with a new high school that will help them challenge and empower their students in new and exciting ways.”
Design activities will continue through the summer and fall. Input from stakeholder groups such as taxpayers, teachers, students, administrators, and Board members will be sought as the design is refined. Once an approved design is established, construction documents will take another three to four months, with the project construction expected to be bid in the spring of 2018. Construction will commence as soon as possible after bids are received, reviewed and contracts are awarded.
