[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6087493,"mediaKeyId","2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a","parentId",2889725,"title","William Penn announces May installation, tentative May 31 ribbon cutting for Bell Avenue mini pitch","audioSeconds",69,"startMs",1777000,"endMs",1846000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a&start=1777&end=1846","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a/thumbnail_1777000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6087493/Pennsylvania/William-Penn-announces-May-installation-tentative-May-31-ribbon-cutting-for-Bell-Avenue-mini-pitch","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087493-9c9fcb27b232087fc03892b937cd19d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1776057833&Signature=d9P6P-Sm3wJiYrjvnSbp6DRU0JZIlqDFjTedylXQKWTj5qUS1iDd326qTzT58aiXQwUonxLD6aARKyeijSpap8L3NQxYyrKxsOcbbilcpJpXxl0VDoqMewCPeSnkYL7AnRIk9FZmMgPi2PMO7J9ORS2KJDW8XPL109JedW55soAvYmtCXkxhUy8EtqUOR9Df9mcR2k28qBAsz-9NejFOBogwHstZVAUF2IwG2J3pW5qXj9GYFzj8L0IOIfBFA9lzBN9g4zwOu9ahj17ln3aYlwChUqTO85BmD6CfKsOo6fZA43j-O30bMNMikMK684mWC1o-hKaXyMDjyHPepGmVhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-07T05:48:02.71Z","article","The William Penn School District property committee heard on April 1 that the district received a US Soccer Foundation grant to install a mini pitch at the Bell Avenue site and that installation is scheduled to begin May 19, taking one to three days.

Mister Deans said the ribbon cutting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 31, though staff are working with the US Soccer Foundation on possible date flexibility. He said the district will notify the borough, neighbors and the immediate community before construction and the ceremony.

The committee did not vote on the project; staff presented the installation schedule as an update and asked the community to \"save the date\" subject to change.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Property Committee Meeting - April 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District staff said a mini pitch funded by the US Soccer Foundation will be installed at Bell Avenue starting May 19 and that a ribbon cutting is tentatively scheduled for May 31; neighbors and borough officials will be notified in advance.","taxTitle","William Penn SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",55555,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6087498,"Bell Avenue elevator project has DCED support; district to verify funds after higher-than-expected bids",67,1359000,1426000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a&start=1359&end=1426","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a/thumbnail_1359000.jpg","/articles/6087498/Pennsylvania/Bell-Avenue-elevator-project-has-DCED-support-district-to-verify-funds-after-higher-than-expected-bids","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087498-43c99bcd0bec2891cb004a401a4327ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1776057833&Signature=jzBXVdUaS~bGXIfh3JN0XmHL9lbMsWlk5fM5oi5Fypwik2W87teH~cZt0vonvlZmGbsRwCxhDS6cM0lUEamGwDz~mDAd7NiysX3Cqok9kKUUnfFNEnyBVCNUf3TgfHYOyd72M1BlAHdvqM5M2I9QU1mtyXqIkJnxYC4CsCZ5s05FXVU1qaBFH6lYQICuTKEfn~xUE7W2hQagZyFA72GjT~~6aBwvjP50oj1MZVuukPxAm-Rg53krbpEcycTYwOyHSZbIMqI8WcYyriOUkdcDFtXU4wRBsuby2lHCsToJ3L0NLoSRyDk5f8TcOwzxfjsWp4LHq4EOyiwVAYNrhUU--g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff told the property committee on April 1 that the Bell Avenue elevator project received approximately $495,000 in DCED grant funding and that contractors provided bids displayed as 6.59 (lowest) and 8.25 (highest) on the presentation slide; the transcript did not specify units for those figures.

Mister Deans said the elevator will be built using the existing exterior wall and an outside elevator shaft to serve all three floors, and the work will include geotechnical and civil engineering. He said the project is expected to occur over the summer.

Board members asked whether funds have been allocated. Deans said staff are \"working on it as we speak\" and that they will confirm capital accounting with Mr. Zablowski before bringing the project to a vote. Ms. Richardson expressed concern about the short time before summer work would start and urged staff to provide information quickly.

No action was taken at the April 1 meeting; staff said they will confirm funding sources and return with a recommendation.","Staff reported a roughly $495,000 DCED grant for a Bell Avenue elevator project and showed a bid range labeled 6.59 to 8.25 (units not specified in the transcript); staff will confirm capital accounting before a vote and said work is planned for summer.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6087503,"William Penn to seek summer roofing contract at Penwood Middle School after DCED grant of $2M",66,1192000,1258000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a&start=1192&end=1258","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a/thumbnail_1192000.jpg","/articles/6087503/Pennsylvania/William-Penn-to-seek-summer-roofing-contract-at-Penwood-Middle-School-after-DCED-grant-of-2M","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087503-7345179f5b1ed31652ff8b7377078397/orig.mp4?Expires=1776057833&Signature=K7EtMxXzzY4IAiWdXZPaw5TJk9RTNf77Lr3sR0cAGUQWqIK9t5sFtS3YIwKn9Ic5b4IBxCvDAZwcEidSGpZ-zj5eplTnODl5tUjFqMF0edORCYDe4DARSv27JfgHHApoR0mnKLiCmsHUVlhx2J-BbKr8Boxt531Xx5xJV4Junq1BoNtvGz4DsgtYMRuU5iD4jkxbbPS50UjTZbCekbxEeQ2TUGHWSYYx7mUU5a5gknj5BSgxzSkL6of9HYyuTKZ8l2gwPfpSpoqT2Ne-CObwVJK0NlC7easQX3w6wKqhh9xxUtPMSoaf0ufy9iKb9Rwxseh6C~ajVo-pn~~fFrWFYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff told the William Penn School District property committee on April 1 that the Penwood Middle School roof project received a $2 million Pennsylvania DCED facilities grant and that bids previously gathered for the roof ranged from about $4.4 million to $4.5 million.

Mister Deans said KCBA Architects will assist with bid processing, design documents and project oversight if the district moves forward. The presentation said the project would be performed during the summer if approved.

Board members asked whether funds were already set aside for the project. \"So we are working with our capital with Mr. Zablowski now just to confirm the dollars that were set aside,\" Deans said. Dr. Bicos reminded the committee that the board should be informed before a vote about exactly where dollars will come from if additional funds are needed.

No vote was taken. Staff said they will confirm capital accounting and provide final funding details before bringing the project forward for formal approval.","District staff said the Penwood Middle School roof project has a $2 million DCED facilities grant and that lowest bids previously obtained were roughly $4.4 million to $4.5 million; KCBA will assist with bidding and project oversight.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6087508,"Bids for William Penn’s Cypress Street ninth-grade academy top estimates; board warned of $3M shortfall",1097,70000,1167000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a&start=70&end=1167","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2889725-e091098190ef4fb223a4ce8fa2816e1a/thumbnail_70000.jpg","/articles/6087508/Pennsylvania/Bids-for-William-Penns-Cypress-Street-ninth-grade-academy-top-estimates-board-warned-of-3M-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087508-b0a71920c6104bc4ba5ec9c588b8d6c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776057833&Signature=ibX1PqCAzuB-GUCJJBgiDcoKAAQD6rZK7LX-gTrSiCGRuARKxbgGVTueXH8cgNBz5Ap50eXNmZaCsz4EXLbRf1c8JZn0bLnXzn7jRNUfuB3zRL9FdXjhbNm7FlSUL-8mjB3EdSeqwc~9O9yI6lbNg2CS6Fe2QegwhExkLTe-Q4a~U6wYGigHoPXQ9T4sR6CHdEBQgp0T8jNJga5EZZNQ25jkZrINgSyDJd~NPHqmuYxb6wEuNnU559bhpdOj~qJVL12sWV1A1vFJoZYTDnHGlvfimYHElntTl38XrEA6b9hYwuprLzDYI~NelcyW6g9vL5rJWIgxRD5RnXxNt-lLRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","KCBA Architects and district staff told the William Penn School District property committee on April 1 that bids for the Cypress Street ninth-grade academy returned significantly higher than the district’s third‑party estimate, producing roughly a $3 million shortfall in the current capital plan.

The architect leading the presentation, Ryan Orr of KCBA Architects, said contractors’ bids put total construction costs — before optional deduct alternates — at about $35.8 million, up from the estimated $32 million. After taking proposed deduct alternates, Orr said the bids come to roughly $35.5 million and the overall project budget has moved from just under $40 million to about $42.5 million. He outlined a phased construction schedule that would begin mid‑2025 and continue through August 2027.

Why it matters: the project is the largest construction item discussed at the meeting and the district has budgeted the project assuming a $7 million federal reimbursement grant. Dr. Bicos, a board member, cautioned the committee that the federal grant is reimbursable and not received up front, and said the district needs clearer accounting for the additional $3 million before committing to work.

Orr summarized the budget factors that contributed to the increase, saying material costs are up roughly 10 percent and that contractors cited potential tariffs and higher prevailing wages in Delaware County as reasons they added contingency into their bids. He also explained the district identified four separate construction contracts (general, mechanical/HVAC, electrical and plumbing) and two deduct alternates for general construction: replacing operable windows with stationary windows (estimated $200,000 savings) and substituting quartz tile for terrazzo in corridors (estimated $80,000 savings). Additional alternates for electrical and mechanical items reflect different manufacturers rather than scope changes.

Board members pressed for clarity on how the gap will be covered. \"I am putting a word of caution before this board because this is an expense that we do not have money for in the sum of $3,000,000,\" Dr. Bicos said on the record. He asked for more verification on the HVAC system’s performance and a detailed breakdown of the FF&E (furnishings, fixtures and equipment) line he recalled being about $600,000. Property chair Jan Tong and project staff said they are working with the district capital accountant to locate and confirm the capital dollars before any formal vote.

KCBA also explained that the district is retaining a $1.6 million construction contingency and roughly $780,000 in allowances; those sums would be returned to the district if unused. The timeline Orr presented shows primary construction on the addition from June 2025 to June 2026, substantial interior renovation across 2026–27 and school readiness by the 2027–28 school year.

The committee did not take formal action on the project at the April 1 meeting; staff said they expect to bring an award recommendation later in April after final bid evaluations and internal accounting.","KCBA Architects told the William Penn School District property committee that bids for the Cypress Street ninth-grade academy came in about $3 million higher than the district’s planned construction budget, raising questions about where that gap will be covered.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

William Penn announces May installation, tentative May 31 ribbon cutting for Bell Avenue mini pitch

Bell Avenue elevator project has DCED support; district to verify funds after higher-than-expected bids

William Penn to seek summer roofing contract at Penwood Middle School after DCED grant of $2M

Bids for William Penn’s Cypress Street ninth-grade academy top estimates; board warned of $3M shortfall