Construction of new Manchester High School races against start of new academic year

Workers are scrambling to put the finishing touches on Manchester Local School District's new high school, with the project 90% complete, construction officials said Monday.

"They're working their rear ends off to get things done," said Joseph Lammlein, senior superintendent with Shook Construction.

The $49.5 million project includes the high school; conversion of the old high school into an elementary school; a new stadium, fieldhouse and wrestling/weight room; and demolition of the old Nolley Elementary School.

Voters approved funding for the project in November 2019.

Four months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, bringing delays and soaring costs that forced changes to the original plan.

Confronting inflation, supply chain issues

For some items like air conditioning units and electrical switch units, the time from order to delivery was considerable, Lammlein said.

"No matter what you do, you're still out there 52 weeks," said Lammlein.

More: Manchester schools battles COVID-19 pandemic and inflation to break ground for high school

Changes were necessary, too.

The new high school, for instance, is a two-story structure. Originally, it was conceived as a one-floor building.

"From when they passed their bond to when we were actually under design, materials and labor (went) up 20%," said Andrew Lowther, senior project manager with Shook.

Making adjustments to Manchester project

The rising costs put pressure on the school board to seek funding help from the state and adjust its building plans, said Board of Education President Steve Rector.

"It took a lot of planning, a lot of hours and a lot of meetings," he said.

The district was one of the first in the state to confront the economic changes that emerged as the pandemic subsided.

"We were at the forefront of that post-COVID world," said Rector.

Manchester superintendent a bridge between old and new in district

The new high school is the first new school built in the district in 50 years. Current Superintendent James Robinson, who conducted a tour of the nearly complete high school and the renovated old high school, remembers.

"I was here when they opened up the middle school in 1974," he said.

But he'll no longer be superintendent when the new school year starts on Sept. 9. Gary Hinton, a Manchester graduate and Osnaburg Local Schools principal, becomes the new superintendent Aug. 1.

'Everybody's got their eyes on it'

Rector said some community members have been paying close attention to the project.

"Everybody's got their eyes on it all the time," he said. "We have a lot of people in the trades out here, watching the progress."

Lowther said the facilities will be ready in time for the start of school.

"It will be open when the district needs it open," he said.

A gallery of the construction is available at https://shorturl.at/jFAdg.

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Construction of new Manchester High School races against start of new academic year