McClure presents two‑phase $39.9 million upgrade plan for Derry Area SD HVAC, roofing, electrical and security

The Derry Area School District Board of Directors heard a high‑level investment‑grade audit from McClure representatives proposing a two‑phase, districtwide building upgrade package with a working total price of about $39.9 million and an estimated 20‑year energy and operational savings of roughly $2.3 million.

Eric Petrazio, McClure account executive, and project engineer Nick Menotti described a plan that would focus first on the middle school (with some elementary work) and then on the high school and vocational/agriculture buildings. “The first phase would focus mainly on the middle school with some upgrades at Grandview Elementary. The second phase would focus mostly on the high school,” Petrazio said.

McClure outlined equipment and scope options. For classrooms, the firm recommended self‑contained tall vertical heat‑pump units (replacing current unit ventilators and window AC units), with demand‑control ventilation that would monitor CO2 and adjust outside air. Large group spaces such as gyms and auditoriums would use rooftop units. The firm recommended automatic temperature controls, a new middle‑school generator (200 kW), and a high‑school electrical upgrade to a 4‑83 phase, 1,200‑amp service; McClure noted several distribution panels of an older Federal Pacific make that it recommended replacing.

Roofing and waterproofing work and targeted general construction would accompany mechanical and electrical upgrades. McClure proposed restoring and replacing roof areas, adding scuppers and drains to address ponding, renovating restrooms to meet ADA requirements, replacing selected concrete slabs in science classrooms and replacing gymnasium bleachers and divider curtains. The plan also included a secure entrance design for the middle school that would create a controlled guest holding area with a teller window and attack‑resistant glazing.

Petrazio said the proposal is a working matrix that allows the district to pick or remove options. “This is a working document. We can put X’s in, take X’s out as you want to go down through,” he said. McClure supplied two costed alternatives for lighting and for certain mechanical scopes; one lighting option is an LED retrofit, the other replaces fixtures with flat panels for a different aesthetic and slightly different lifecycle benefits.

Nick Menotti described operational benefits: quieter, evenly distributed classroom airflows, reduced reliance on the boilers during shoulder months, and easier isolation if a single unit needs service. “These systems are top of the line,” Menotti said, adding that classroom units will lower ongoing HVAC runtime and extend the life of the district’s existing boilers.

Board members sought clarifications on classroom appearance, scheduling, sequencing and options. McClure said the work is expected to be performed in summer months with pre‑project planning starting in late May; the firm said timely decisions improve the district’s ability to secure labor and materials. McClure representatives also said the district could stagger phases so the board could choose different options in later years.

McClure presented a high‑level financial summary that showed a total project price of about $39.9 million. The firm said the 20‑year energy and operational savings in the matrix total about $2.3 million; presenters cautioned that energy savings are lower in regions with lower electricity costs. McClure said the price offered is a firm, “all‑in” figure that would include design, engineering, construction and project management if the district moves to an investment‑grade contract spelling out final scope.

The board took no formal action on the McClure presentation during the meeting. District officials asked McClure to share the presentation slides and additional classroom unit images and said financial advisers were already studying borrowing options should the board opt to proceed.