Easton board hears $298 million plan for new high school; design narrowed to 457,000 sq. ft., board asked for feedback

Architects and district officials presented schematic designs and a budget update Tuesday for a proposed replacement of Easton Area High School, saying the project now estimates a $298 million total cost and a building of about 457,000 square feet.

The presentation, led by LA5 and CHA consultants with district leadership in attendance, outlined site selection, a three-level schematic building plan and a phasing and schedule that would aim for schematic-to-design-development approval in August and a construction-groundbreaking window beginning in May 2027. Jamie Bortz, project manager with LA5, said the design team has reduced the program from earlier estimates and is “down to 457,000 square feet, which gives us a PDE capacity of 2,975 students,” and is targeting roughly 151 square feet per student under current Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) measures.

The board’s members, district administrators and consultants framed the project as a campus master plan that relocates the building into the corner of the existing site and reconfigures athletic fields, parking and bus circulation. The proposed building stacks most academic spaces in three stories, places large community spaces (gymnasium and auditorium) to take advantage of grade changes, and consolidates parking and entry to reduce internal travel distances. The design team said the current schematic keeps the high school operational during construction and seeks to limit exterior travel and utility impacts.

Why it matters: the district’s…