MEXICO – By the end of the summer, the Region 9 School of Applied Technology board will know whether to seek state funding for an addition or begin the five-year process of building a new school.
Plans to go ahead with a proposed six-room addition have been placed on hold until a study of the building’s structural integrity is completed.
David Driscoll, director of the vocational school, said this week that the Lewiston- and Bethel-based firm of Smith Reuter Lull Architects is expected to begin a study of the former auto-parts store and commercial garage within a week or two. That study should be completed in July.
Once that’s done, the vocational school’s board will know whether to apply for state funding for an addition and for renovations, funds just for renovations or whether to begin the process for replacing the school.
The need for a structural study was prompted by a state mandate that calls for a periodic review of school facilities. That review was completed in April by M.E. McCormick Consultants of Dexter. This 14-page asset study showed the need for nearly $800,000 in structural, code and other improvements to the school.
Driscoll said he’s particularly concerned about the building’s concrete walls. Some are leaking, causing concerns about their structural safety and, at the minimum, require a thorough cleaning and repair.
“We want to know if the water leakage has damaged the structural integrity of the building,” he said.
Also listed in the study were: a deteriorated roof, the need for structural analysis of the roof, lack of a second exit from the stairs, a lack of fire ratings for stairwells and interior walls, electrical wiring inadequacies, lack of an elevator, and inadequate ventilation.
Whether or not the architectural study will recommend building a new school, Driscoll said the board will still seek state loans and grants to replace the roof and make other repairs to the existing building.
He said those funds have already been state approved. All that’s needed is approval by voters in the region. He expects a referendum vote on that in the fall.
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