School board backs Kenmore site project, adds language to designate new building a community learning center

The Akron Public School Board on June 23 voted to proceed with building a new facility on the former Kenmore High School site and unanimously adopted an amendment to identify the planned building as a community learning center.

The board’s action follows a presentation from Deborah Fulk, identified by the superintendent as the project lead, and a finance update on cost increases for the Miller South–Piper consolidation project. The board voted to adopt option 1 — continue the project with design adjustments and seek additional funding — and passed a separate amendment inserting “as a community learning center” into the resolution.

The district presented updated cost and size figures at the meeting. Treasurer Dr. Thompson told the board the current schematic design had grown from an original 156,000 square feet to about 169,764 square feet and that the construction budget had risen from the earlier $54 million building budget to about $67 million. Dr. Thompson said the…