Upper Dublin administration recommends new 84,000-square-foot Jarrettown Elementary, estimates $60 million cost

The Upper Dublin School District administration recommended building a new, 84,000-square-foot Jarrettown Elementary School and asked the Finance Committee to forward that recommendation to the full board for action.

The recommendation presented June 18 would remove options that district staff and consultants judged either too small to meet program needs or too disruptive and costly when performed as an occupied renovation. "The 84 is what I would call right sized," said Phil (ICS consultant). The administration estimated the project at $60 million and described a concept financing plan to cover the cost while limiting near-term budget disruption.

Why it matters: district staff said the current Jarrettown building dates to the 1950s, has multiple later additions and persistent space, accessibility and building-system deficiencies. Consultants and administrators argued a new building would address ADA, layout, educational program modernization, safety and parking while minimizing student disruption during construction compared with an…