Pelham officials outline renovation options and possible May bond for Siwanoy; community voices concern over outdoor space

Pelham Union Free School District officials on Tuesday presented preliminary plans and cost ranges for renovating Siwanoy Elementary School and other district buildings and said the board expects to decide by March which projects to put to voters in May.

The district described a range of options for Siwanoy that all would address accessibility and aging infrastructure but vary sharply in scope, cost and construction disruption — from an ADA-only fix to a large-scale addition and partial demolition. Officials also outlined districtwide needs including heating-system replacement, roofing and masonry work, new science labs at Pelham Memorial High School, and possible air-conditioning and geothermal upgrades.

District officials said the building-condition survey and updated demographic studies guided the proposals. The board intends to refine the plans with architects and a newly hired construction manager, circulate a public survey, and present a final scope and budget to voters in May. Construction, if approved, would be staged and is not expected to begin before July 2026.

Why it matters: Siwanoy is one of the district’s oldest buildings and is not yet ADA compliant. Officials argued upgrades are necessary for safety, to reduce the risk of system failures and to provide instructional spaces that match current programs. Residents countered that some options would remove substantial outdoor play and community space and urged a smaller footprint and less disruptive phasing.

Key details and options

- Cost estimates presented by the district’s architects and construction manager put Siwanoy-specific infrastructure work in the roughly $8 million range for a substantial…