Warren City Board approves Phase 1 bleacher repairs at Mollenkopf Stadium; home stands to remain closed this summer

The Warren City Board of Education approved the recognition of bids and awarded a contract for Phase 1 repair and renovation of the home bleachers at Mollenkopf Stadium at Warren G. Harding High School during its March 25 meeting.

The board’s resolutions to recognize the bids and to award the contract were adopted on voice roll calls and carried unanimously. The board’s discussion said the stadium’s home stands will be closed during Phase 1 work and the stadium likely will have limited access for the field through mid‑August. A second-phase project, described in board materials as work beneath the stands and in the restroom areas, was described as a later closure window expected in June through August.

District staff told the board engineers have inspected the concrete structure and produced a scope-of-work and remediation report. "The engineers came out, evaluated, and provided the report — specifically every single thing that needs to be done," a district official said in the meeting. The district described the Phase 1 work as necessary to preserve structural stability and extend the stadium’s usable life.

Why it matters: Mollenkopf Stadium is the district’s primary outdoor venue for high school athletics and community events; the board said the repairs are a structural remediation rather than cosmetic upgrades and are being scheduled to complete as much work as possible before the football season.

Formal actions: the board placed the bid recognition and contract award for Phase 1 on the consent agenda and approved both items by roll‑call votes. Board members asked only clarifying questions about timing and closure; no amendments or substitute motions were offered.

The board’s formal votes on the stadium items were recorded during the meeting and carried as presented.