Erie School District

Abstract:  The Erie School District planned to demolish and replace its 1922 Roosevelt Middle School, which was closed in 2007 after years of neglect.  Concerned citizens persuaded the school district to allow Preservation Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth’s only statewide historic preservation organization, to formally evaluate the building at no cost to the district.  Three experienced public school architects studied the building and concluded it would be less costly and more beneficial to renovate, rather than replace, the Roosevelt School.  The fate of the school has yet to be determined.

The Erie School District, which enrolls more than 12,000 students, boasts some of finest school architecture in Pennsylvania.  Its schools are evenly distributed throughout the city to allow the maximum number of students to walk to school.

Unfortunately, many of its schools have been neglected.  In June 2007, the Erie School District closed its 1922 Roosevelt Middle School and relocated its students to a school leased for three years from the Catholic Church.  The school building is solid and well-designed, but the school is badly deteriorated, and its exterior appearance has been degraded by inappropriate replacement windows. 

Erie Times-News
May 29, 2007

School of hard knocks

By Erica Erwin

The clock struck 2:55 p.m. and the doors at Roosevelt Middle School flew open, unleashing a blur of students into a sticky spring afternoon.

Kids raced to buses or hugged waiting parents. The streets around the school filled with students horseplaying their way home.

It's the same scene that has played out time and again every year for the past 83 years.
Next year will be different.

The Erie School District will close Roosevelt Middle School for the 2007-08 academic year because of ongoing maintenance and safety concerns at the school, Erie schools Superintendent Jim Barker said.

When -- or if -- it will reopen has not been decided.

The district is hoping to move the roughly 350 sixth- and seventh-graders who now attend Roosevelt about five blocks away to Sacred Heart School, 2501 Plum St., which is scheduled to close as a Catholic school at the end of this school year. The district is still negotiating terms of a lease with the parish.

And instead of moving to Roosevelt for sixth grade, the roughly 80 fifth-graders who now attend Perry and Irving elementary schools will remain at those schools through 2007-08, Barker said.
Parents will receive letters detailing the change by the end of this week at the latest, district officials said.

"Unfortunately, it's reached a critical point," Barker said. "We're making the best of a bad situation."

Like the old oil portrait of Teddy Roosevelt hanging in the front office, the 83-year-old school is fading.

Stained and torn carpet is patched together with duct tape. Chairs with broken seats dot the auditorium. A temperamental heating system works some days and not others.   In 2005, a seventh-grader at the school was injured when a 1-by-1-foot piece of plaster tile fell from the ceiling in the girls' locker room, prompting more concerns about dangerous conditions inside the school.

"It's almost a Third World school," Barker said.

A $17 million plan to tear down and rebuild the school at 2300 Cranberry St. topped a wish list of new construction projects and improvements proposed by district architects Roth Marz Partnership in 2005 as part of a districtwide facilities review.   That plan, just one of several the architectural firm has presented to the district over the years, was shelved as too expensive even as the district administration and board members assured parents that rebuilding or replacing the school was a priority.

"The district recognizes that a lot of work needs to be done at several buildings, and no one is going to argue that Roosevelt needs work," architect Bob Marz said. "The problem is they don't have the revenue and resources to do the work. If they had the revenue, I'm sure they'd set priorities and Roosevelt would be at the top."

The district began crafting in November a backup plan for the 2007-08 year. Barker had characterized the school as held together by "bubble gum and Band-Aids."

Board member Jim Herdzik said he is happy students will be moved, but he said the district should have notified parents about the change sooner.  "We're always in crisis management," Herdzik said. "We're always last-minute. We knew we couldn't continue to stay at Roosevelt, but for whatever reason we let things drag and drag and drag."

Barker said the district wanted to keep the "Roosevelt community" together in the same school for as long as possible before splitting the teachers and students into different schools.  "We had hoped to squeeze another year" out of the school, he said. 

Another year would have been one more too many, said Wanda Helsley, whose 13-year-old daughter, Gabriell Douglas, attends Roosevelt.  The school should have been shut down years ago, she said.

"When I went here years ago, it was in bad shape," Helsley said as she waited for her daughter outside Roosevelt at the end of a recent school day. "They waited too long. And now it's just not safe for our children."

Sacred Heart is only two blocks away from Helsley's home, close enough for Douglas to walk to school.   Desmond Wright, a sixth-grader at Roosevelt, transferred from Sacred Heart earlier this year and said he would be happy to go back to that building.  "I didn't expect (Roosevelt) to close down right away, but it's for the best," Wright, 12, said. "The school is in really bad shape."

He said he's glad his Roosevelt teachers will follow him to a new school.
"It'll be just like Roosevelt, only in a new place," he said.

After reading “Renovate or Replace,” a group of Erie citizens asked Tom Hylton to help save the Roosevelt School.  With the cooperation of Erie superintendent Jim Barker, Hylton engaged Ellis Schmidlapp, a Pittsburgh architect with experience in renovating historic public schools, to tour Roosevelt and provide a brief summary of his impressions.

Hylton reported on the visit in a commentary published in the Erie Times-News:

Erie Times-News
Friday, Aug. 17, 2007

Case can be made for saving schools

By Thomas Hylton       

Everyone agrees the 1922 Roosevelt Middle School is in bad shape and had to be closed.  But the question is, should Roosevelt be renovated or replaced?

Two years ago, Roth Marz Partnership suggested tearing down Roosevelt and replacing it with a new school.  Similar recommendations have been made in districts all across the commonwealth in recent decades, leading to the abandonment and often demolition of hundreds of historic schools.   Next year, for example, the Altoona Area School District will abandon two 80-year-old junior high schools when a new $48 million mega-school for 1,800 students is finished.

Concerned by this trend, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania School Boards Association have sponsored a new brochure encouraging school districts to renovate, rather than replace, older school buildings.  The booklet, called “Renovate or Replace,” features essays from Gov. Ed Rendell’s top cabinet officers, arguing that keeping existing schools can save tax dollars, reinforce established neighborhoods, and still provide facilities that meet 21st century educational standards.

In fact, a review of all major school construction projects approved by the Department of Education in the last three years shows that new construction is about twice as expensive, per square foot, as renovations and additions, when total project costs are considered.

To encourage school districts to renovate existing buildings, the Public School Code was amended in 2005 to provide a 10 percent state subsidy bonus for renovations and additions to existing schools and another 10 percent bonus for energy-efficient “green” buildings.

Ironically, school buildings constructed prior to 1940 usually make better candidates for renovation as “green” buildings than post-war schools.  That’s because schools like Roosevelt --  masonry bearing structures that rely on massive walls to provide structural stability – can last indefinitely with major renovations every 20 or 30 years.  Their compact, multi-story layout is more efficient to heat and cool than the sprawling one-story buildings that became fashionable in the 1950s.  Their high ceilings provide plenty of space for new wiring, ductwork, and piping.  Their large window openings capture plenty of natural daylight, while new high performance glazing can provide the same insulation value as two inches of fiberglass batts.

And the No. 1 principle of green building design is to renovate and recycle existing buildings, writes Kathleen McGinty, state Secretary of Environmental Protection.  Renovations make the maximum use of existing materials and reduce demolition debris.

The Uniform Construction Code adopted by Pennsylvania in 2004 provides special provisions to make it easier to renovate older school buildings.  It contains a point system allowing creative ways to provide levels of safety equal to or greater than code standards for new buildings.  Unfortunately, many architects – including school architects – do not know how to fully apply the rehabilitation code and therefore provide cost estimates that are much greater than they need to be.

Earlier this month, the Crawford Central School District approved a plan to renovate two Meadville elementary schools built in 1929 and 1938.  With the cooperation of the Erie School District, I asked Crawford Central’s architect, Ellis Schmidlapp – who specializes in historic buildings -- to tour Roosevelt and offer his initial impressions of the school.

Schmidlapp concluded Roosevelt is a good candidate for renovation as a “green” school.  “With the addition of a regulation-sized gymnasium and thoughtful rehabilitation of the remaining spaces, it can continue to serve its intended function,” Schmidlapp wrote.  “In our experience, rehabilitation to a level which provides all the amenities of new construction can be achieved at costs of $50 to $60 per square foot less than new construction.”

But saving money is just one reason to rehabilitate older schools.  As Gerald Zahorchak, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, writes in Renovate or Replace, “Older school buildings are significant community assets … many historic school buildings were constructed with materials and workmanship we cannot duplicate today.”

The Erie School District, which boasts some of the finest civic architecture in Pennsylvania, is a perfect example.  No school district today could afford to construct a building like the 1928 Strong Vincent High School or the 1917 Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy.  Buildings like the 1930 Jefferson School, with an Art Moderne façade, and the 1914 Italianate Emerson-Gridley School, are virtually irreplaceable.

Older schools are far more than bricks and mortar.  Gracefully designed schools evolve over time into much-beloved landmarks that tie together generations of people through decades of shared experience going to the same school.  They give communities their sense of place and identity.   They can be – and should be – preserved.

After Hylton’s article was published, Erie citizens urged the Erie School Board to renovate, rather than replace, the Roosevelt School:

Erie Times-News (PA)
September 13, 2007

Residents plead for preservation of Erie school

By Erica Erwin

To Carole Kaczmarek, Roosevelt Middle School is much more than a rundown, 83-year-old building.

It's the place where her three sons learned and laughed in the '70s.  It's the place that her oldest son and the rest of his bandmates filled with music during school assemblies.  It's a place of memories, and Kaczmarek wants to see it preserved.

"I get a little discouraged seeing things torn down and rebuilt," the 73-year-old Erie resident said. "They just lose the old class of Erie. I like to see the old relics."

Kaczmarek echoed the sentiments of a handful of residents who attended Wednesday night's Erie School Board meeting to speak against the possible demolition of Roosevelt, which was closed down at the end of the 2006-07 school year because of its poor condition. Its students are now attending Sacred Heart School and the Irving and Perry elementary schools. Erie schools Superintendent Jim Barker has said that district architects and engineers believe that tearing down and rebuilding the now-dilapidated school would be less expensive than renovating.

But earlier this week, Bob Marz of district architects Roth Marz Partnership said that would depend on the size and scope of the project.  

Data collected over the past three years by the Pennsylvania Department of Education shows that the cost of new construction has typically almost doubled that of renovation. The state has encouraged districts to renovate instead of rebuild, offering increased reimbursement for renovation and for the use of "green," or environmentally friendly, technology and materials.  

A 2005 estimate put the cost of building a new Roosevelt at about $17 million, though that estimate could change depending on the specifics of the project, should the board choose to move forward with rebuilding.  

John Vanco, director of the Erie Art Museum, on Wednesday asked the board to be "judicious" in its future plans for the school.  "It's a wonderful building from a historical and architectural perspective," Vanco said. "You couldn't afford to build a building like that today."

Erie resident and Roosevelt alumna Laurel Swartz, who is also in favor of preserving the building, said schools tie together generations of people through shared experiences and give people a sense of community.  "This school means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to the other students who went there," Swartz said.

Matt Lebowitz, another Erie resident who spoke against demolishing the school, challenged the board to turn the building into a "green" school.  "It's easy to build something new, to knock (a building) down and say it's going to be better," Lebowitz said. "But if you have the courage in yourselves to build a green building and make Erie proud, make the students proud ... That's what you should do."

Barker said he continues to believe that renovation would cost more than rebuilding, but he and several School Board members stressed that no final decision had been made about the future of the Cranberry Street school. Roth Marz plans to do a full assessment of all of the district's capital needs, he said.

School Director Jeanine McCreary asked that district administration to also provide a demographic analysis of how many students a rebuilt or renovated Roosevelt would serve, and from what neighborhoods.  "This could all be a moot point (renovating or rebuilding), if we look at the movement of students in the community," she said.

To help provide the Erie School Board with a full a full range of options, a one-day design charrette was conducted by three architects at the Roosevelt School on May 30, 2008.  The charrette was sponsored by Preservation Pennsylvania and funded by Save Our Land, Save Our Towns.

To read a 14-page illustrated summary of the charrette, click here.

All three architect recommended renovating, rather than replacing, the Roosevelt School, although the district architect downplayed their findings:

Erie Times-News
May 31, 2008

How district can fix up aging school

Author: JESSICA LaDOW

Three groups, each including an architect, toured Roosevelt Middle School during a charette, or large brainstorming session, on Friday, rendering hypothetical renovation plans from about $12 million to $15 million.

Preservation Pennsylvania, a Harrisburg-based nonprofit dedicated to saving historic buildings, conducted the in-depth study of how the school can be renovated. 

Suggestions included the installation of ramps and elevators to aid people with handicaps; adding classroom space to the side of the building; updating heating and air-conditioning systems; creating additional drop-off, pickup and parking space; and developing the outdoor areas for recreation.
However, one official from the district's architectural firm said the ideas are nothing new, and the charette's cost estimates are too low.

The Erie School District still hasn't decided whether to renovate or rebuild Roosevelt Middle School, but officials hope the project will be completed within the next several years.  "I think the important thing is that the board and the administration have no inherent bias," Erie schools Superintendent Jim Barker said. "We need to examine three main aspects: financial factors, educational factors and long-term return of investment."

He said the district will open the new or renovated Roosevelt as a K-8 school with a 700-student capacity, to relieve the district's overcrowded elementary schools.  "If we opened the school like that today, it would be filled," he said.  Barker said he hopes a decision will be made soon.  "I think the board will make a decision this year, and then it's usually a two-year process after the decision to build a school," he said. Roosevelt, at 2300 Cranberry St., was closed after the 2006-07 school year because of the deteriorating conditions of the 84-year-old building. Roosevelt students have been attending classes in the old Sacred Heart School, 2501 Plum St.

Preservation Pennsylvania held the charette to enlighten the district and the community about the possibilities and benefits of renovation.  "I was really surprised by all of the different ways they approached this," said Mindy Crawford, Preservation Pennsylvania's executive director. "They had some really good ideas."

Bob Marz, of the district architect Roth Marz Partnership, said that although the presentations were interesting, the projected costs discussed were similar to what the district has already considered.
"This isn't anything new, really," he said. Roth Marz previously stated renovation costs could be near $15.9 million.

"Those are just construction costs," Marz said. "You still have the 'soft costs' to worry about. The architect fees, engineer fees, contingency, furniture, bond costs and attorney fees." Those fees, he said, generally total about 17 percent of the overall construction fees. The cost for a completely new building has been estimated by Roth Marz at around $16.5 million. Barker agreed that all costs need to be taken into consideration, and stressed that a major deciding factor will be durability of the school.  "The main concern the board is looking at is longevity," he said. "The cost compared to how long the building is going to last."

Preservation Pennsylvania responded with a commentary in the Erie-Times News by executive director Mindy Higgins Crawford. As of September 2008, the fate of Roosevelt School remains undecided.

Erie Times-News
Aug. 22, 2008

Imagine a new Roosevelt

By MINDY HIGGINS CRAWFORD
Contributing writer

Can Roosevelt Middle School be renovated to 21st century educational standards in a cost-effective manner? Will a renovated school have the same life expectancy as a new one?

In both cases, the answer is yes, according to three experienced architects who recently evaluated the school on behalf of Preservation Pennsylvania, the commonwealth's only private, nonprofit, statewide historic preservation organization.

Moreover, Roosevelt could be renovated in half the time it would take to build a new building.

With the cooperation of the Erie School District and district architect Bob Marz, architectural teams from Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Erie toured Roosevelt Middle School on May 30, reviewed the architectural plans and drew up three different schemes for renovating and enlarging Roosevelt School.

The architectural teams were given specifications by the district that envisioned using Roosevelt as a kindergarten through eighth grade elementary/middle school for 700 students. The teams proposed a complete restoration of the building, including exterior masonry, new windows and a new roof. All three concluded the school was solidly built.
The existing layout of the middle school functions well, they learned, and needs few changes. All of the teams proposed modest additions that would retain the architectural character of the building.

In spring, the district estimated it would cost $16.5 million to build a new middle school, not including the cost of demolishing the current school or acquiring land at another site. Preservation Pennsylvania's architectural teams estimated complete renovations would cost substantially less -- perhaps from $12 million to $15.5 million - for a building that would function as well or better than a new school.

In addition, the state would provide Erie with a 10 percent subsidy bonus for renovations and additions rather than building new.

Grand staircase preserved
The first team was led by Pittsburgh architect Ellis Schmidlapp, who is currently designing renovations and additions to three 80-year-old elementary schools in the Crawford Central School District, which includes Meadville.

Schmidlapp proposed converting the cafeteria into an area for specialty classrooms such as science and music. The north courtyard of the building would be enclosed to create a new library, and the south courtyard would be landscaped as a protected playground area.

The auditorium and gymnasium would be completely rehabilitated, and a small addition would be built on the north side of the building to contain a new kitchen and cafeteria and more classrooms. Some existing classrooms would be enlarged.

The plan includes all new heating and electrical systems and lighting, sprinklers and new data and communication systems. The grand stairs would remain open and the corridors and stairs would retain their original appearance. Schmidlapp's team estimates the project would cost from $12 million to $13 million.

New windows look original
A second team led by Erie architect Jeff Kidder envisioned keeping the current layout of the building essentially intact. Two major changes would involve adding a new library in place of the north courtyard and moving the administrative offices to the current library. A small addition at the southeastern corner of the building would be used for fourth-grade classrooms. This would allow for three classrooms per grade level: K-4 on the first floor, and grades 5-8 on the second floor.

Like the other architectural teams, Kidder's group proposed all new mechanical systems, complete masonry repair and installing energy-efficient windows that would replicate the look and detail of the original 1922 windows.

The third team, led by Harrisburg architect Vern McKissick, proposed the most sweeping changes. McKissick has renovated numerous historic public schools and is currently overseeing the reconstruction of a historic hospital into Reading's second high school, a $79 million project.

School within a school
McKissick's team would build a new gymnasium and mechanical room at the rear of the building and add a deck to the current gymnasium, converting it for music, technology and art on the first floor and a library on the second floor. The current boiler and mechanical room would be used for the cafeteria.
Some classrooms would be enlarged and the school would be reorganized into three schools-within-a-school, for K-2, 3-5 and 6-8, sharing the auditorium and other core spaces.

Because 60 percent of a building's heat loss is from the mechanical system, not the building envelope, McKissick's team believes an appropriate system will substantially increase the building's efficiency. The site is large enough to consider a geothermal well field, McKissick said. There is also room for plenty of parking and an internal drop-off lane for cars.

Over many decades, Roosevelt Middle School has become a much-beloved part of the community. With thoughtful renovations, the school could continue to serve Erie as splendidly as it has in the past.

MINDY HIGGINS CRAWFORD is executive director of Preservation Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. She can be reached at mcrawford@preservationpa.org.