The State College Area School Board on Monday granted permission to bid eight capital and deferred maintenance projects for the 2025-26 fiscal year with combined estimates totaling $3.47 million.
Among the projects is the addition of approximately 50 parking spaces to the eastern end of the commuter lot on the high school’s north campus at an estimated cost of $280,000. State College Borough Council in December approved an amendment to the conditional use permit required for the expansion, which will increase the overall high school parking to 871 spaces. A final land development plan is nearing approval.
The spaces were included in the original planning for construction of the high school but “were value engineered out of the project,” according to a memo from Director of Physical Plant Mike Fisher.
“Due to parking constraints and demand, administration is recommending adding these spots to relieve parking pressure,” Fisher wrote.
The spaces are the maximum that can be added to the north campus lot area, but the district may look in the future to constructing more parking on a parcel along West Irvin Avenue near the new Physical Plant building and Community Field, according to Finance and Operations Officer Randy Brown.
“Once the construction on the Physical Plant building is completed we’ll be looking at the potential of adding space there,” Brown said. “But on the north campus next to the North Building, we’ll be exhausting all of our opportunities for parking.”
Other projects to be bid include:
Panorama Village Renovation Phase 2
Estimated Cost: $1,050,000 (scope still being adjusted)
This project will replace the HVAC systems at the Panorama Village Administrative Center. The building’s HVAC is a combination of three eras of of variable refrigerant flow systems, and the oldest is at the end of its useful life and is due for replacement, according to the district.
“In addition, there have been multiple issues and high dollar repairs associated with the system,” Fisher wrote.
Mount Nittany Middle School Air Handling Units
Estimated cost: $825,000
Mount Nittany Middle School has three air handling units that serve its gym and cafeteria. Those “have experienced numerous repairs over the last several years and are due for replacement,” Fisher wrote. The new units will have greater control capabilities and will lead to significant energy savings, according to the memo. A $251,805 Public School Facilities Improvement Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development will offset some of the cost.
State High South Bridge Repair
Estimated cost: $400,000
The bridge that leads to the C-Pod from the cafeteria seating area and spans a courtyard at the State High South Building has settled about 1 inch from its initial construction in 2017, Fisher wrote. This project aims to stabilize the area with an injection of expanding grout.
Refurbishment of Building Envelopes
Estimated cost: $375,000
Building envelope remediation is planned for Panorama Village, Mount Nittany Middle School and the athletics side of State High North. The project will include cleaning, window glazing replacement, mortar joint repairs, concrete cast repairs and sealing. The scope for Mount Nittany Middle “consists of small areas of brick that are not integral to the building envelope and were omitted from the previous envelope project,” Fisher wrote.
Gray’s Woods Elementary Lighting Upgrades
Estimated cost: $225,000
The T-8 fluorescent technology currently used in the Gray’s Woods Elementary lighting system will be replaced with yet-to-be-determined LED fixtures. Before finalizing the replacement fixtures, a classroom mock-up will be used to allow students and teachers to provide feedback.
“Any replacement will provide better light quality, decreased maintenance costs and a relatively short simple payback period,” Fisher wrote.
Park Forest Elementary DX System Upgrades
Estimated cost: $180,000
The direct expansion (DX) cooling systems at Park Forest Elementary have passed their life expectancy and are due for replacement. The systems serve common including the library, administrative areas and all purpose rooms.
Gray’s Woods Elementary DX System Upgrades
Estimated cost: $135,000
The DX cooling systems at Gray’s Woods serves common areas similar to Park Forest Elementary and have also passed their life expectancy.
