Bethel Park facilities subcommittee outlines reuse plan; Ben Franklin and Washington eyed for municipal use

A facilities reuse subcommittee told the Bethel Park School District Board of School Directors on April 8 that community needs should guide what happens to elementary buildings the district will no longer use once it opens a single elementary center.

The subcommittee recommended transferring George Washington and Ben Franklin schools to the municipality for recreation and green space, earmarking William Penn and Abraham Lincoln for public auction, and keeping Memorial School in district hands for community-oriented uses such as adult day care or nonprofit leasing. "What suits the community… the needs of our community was the number one priority," the committee said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The district expects to reduce its campus footprint as part of the consolidation to one elementary facility. The subcommittee’s proposals would shift maintenance and liability away from the school district in some cases, preserve community recreation space in others, and create revenue if properties are sold — all outcomes the committee said are intended to support the district’s operating and facilities budgets.

Recommendations and next steps

Committee members said two schools, Washington and Ben Franklin, already have a memorandum of understanding with the municipality for recreational use and preservation as parks. The presenters said the next legal steps include working with the district solicitor and following Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) procedures for “relieving” buildings from district control before any transfer or sale.

On William Penn and Abraham Lincoln, the committee said developers have already inquired and that the district will likely move toward a public auction process. The presenters described auctioning as an open, public process that would maximize competitive bids; the committee said it will follow required legal and PDE steps before placing properties for auction.

Memorial School and reuse for social services

The subcommittee proposed retaining Memorial School in district ownership to pursue leases to nonprofit or service providers. During the presentation district representatives and committee members said the district has talked with a local adult day care provider and partners including SHIM and the Jefferson Foundation about expanding adult-day programming there. One presenter said, "we have a very high senior citizen population in this community," as part of the rationale for exploring adult-day services at Memorial.

Board questions and concerns

Board member Janicek asked for clarity on the district’s ongoing obligations: "ownership renting it, someone purchasing it, who's maintaining it, what are the ongoing costs to the district?" District and committee speakers replied those details remain to be negotiated, and that insurance, liability and lease terms would be handled in coordination with solicitors before any transfer or lease is finalized.

Timeline and public process

Committee members said they expect concrete public meeting dates and auction timelines "by the end of this school year." They also noted the broader decommissioning schedule: the district intends to reduce to a three‑campus configuration and cited an August 1, 2026 target tied to the new elementary center transition. The presenters repeatedly framed their recommendations as subject to board action, solicitor review and PDE procedures.

What was not decided

No final board votes to transfer, sell or lease any property were recorded during the presentation. Committee members and administrators said formal approvals, lease agreements and auction steps will return to the board for action after legal review and public hearings.

Ending

Board members thanked the committee for its multi‑year work and said the board will move next to solicitor review, committee follow‑up and public hearings to finalize transfers, leases or auction plans.