Feb 27, 2014 2 min read

Overcrowding at South Fayette High School has led the district’s school board to move forward with a feasibility study to look at options for developing expanded high school facilities.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the school board voted to authorize Eckles Architecture to conduct the study at a cost not to exceed $15,000, which would be credited back to the district once a project begins.

South Fayette High School was constructed about 10 years ago and was designed to hold about 800 students. Currently, 757 students attend the school. Projections show that by 2015 there will be 805 students enrolled. The school is expected to grow by between 13 and 16 percent by 2020, according to demographer Dr. Shelby Stewman. By that year, between 1,077 and 1,094 students could be attending the school.

Joe Brennan and John Taormina of P.J. Dick, the construction management firm the district used for its recently completed intermediate school project, attended the meeting. P.J. Dick was asked to return to the district for the possible expansion project.

“We are honored and ecstatic to be back in the district,” Taormina told the board. He added that P.J. Dick has performed feasibility studies for other school districts.

“We know you have some sight and logistical challenges there,” he said.

Taormina said the firm will work on getting an official proposal to the district within the next few weeks and will touch base with Eckles Architecture.

“P.J. Dick and Eckles did a great job on the intermediate school. We are pleased to work with both companies again,” said Dr. Bille Roninelli, district superintendent.

Also at the meeting, the board received an update on the district’s borrowing capacity from Jamie Doyle of Public Financial Management via telephone.

Doyle informed the board the district has about $20.8 million in borrowing capacity, but at the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, that figure moves up to $30.7 million. Doyle said that the district’s capacity is based on a 2 percent growth rate, which she said is conservative because the district is growing much faster than 2 percent.

She added that because the numbers change with the fiscal year, the borrowing capacity would have to be looked at again if the district decides to borrow for the high school expansion project. Doyle said the borrowing capacity is based on the district’s revenue for the last three years and the amount of outstanding debt.