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Kimberlie Rieffannacht, interim superintendent of the Hempfield School District, said district officials won’t know how much of the existing plan to renovate the high school is salvageable until the district’s legal proceedings with the architectural firm Core Architects are concluded.
“Our hope is to use as much of the company’s products as possible, but we can’t talk specifically about how much or what can be used or not until the legal ramifications are completed, the new company is in place, and we can work with them in the process. It’s available,” Rieffannacht said.
“It’s hard not knowing, but it’s something we’re working on.”
Core Architects withdrew from the district’s high school renovation project in February. Since the company left, Hempfield has been looking for a new architect. The request for proposals for a new architect closed two weeks ago.
The renovation project has been on hold since August as bids for some of the work showed its cost had soared to nearly $150 million, nearly $20 million more than expected.
The interior of the high school building is expected to be demolished and renovated over the next three years, leaving much of the exterior intact with some additions.
Damion Spahr, a representative of construction manager SitelogIQ, said the district is reviewing the architect proposals it received.
“The process will include creating a shortlist of companies based on submissions that will be invited to interview in the region,” Spahr said.
Rieffannacht said the district hopes to make a decision on a new architect firm in April.
“We are in the process of selecting the next architect to join our team,” Rieffannacht said.
She added that the separation from the area’s former construction company would take time.
“There are many legal consequences of separation that we are still working through,” Rivanacht said. “This does take some time and we appreciate your patience.”
Rieffannacht and District Attorney Krisha DiMascio declined to comment on the details of the legal proceedings.
Hempfield has paid Core Architects more than $2.4 million for its previous work on the project.
The Bellevue-based company has been working with the district since 2022 on high school renovations.
Julia Maruca is a TribLive reporter covering health and conditions in the Greensburg and Hempfield areas. She joined the tribe in 2022 after working for Butler Eagle, which covers southwestern Butler County. You can contact her at jmaruca@triblive.com.
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