Cheltenham SD staff say stadium work progressing; $3.5M paid on $13M project, bid schedule set

Cheltenham School District facilities staff reported progress on the high school stadium renovation and related projects at the district’s October Facilities Committee meeting.

Staff member Mr. Carter said contractor work has installed visitor and home bleachers and a press box and that crews are working on drainage and turf installation. “All of the dirt that was inside of the oval…we were able to deposit most of that dirt back on this site,” Carter said, adding that reusing the soil allowed the team to level a field dip and improve the track competition surface.

The reuse of on-site material also produced project savings, staff said. “We’ve paid about 3 and a half million dollars on this $13,000,000 project and have another 9 and a half yet to go,” a staff presenter reported during the meeting.

Staff described follow-up construction steps including a final two‑lane extension for the track and placement of blacktop outside the ring once heavy machinery is removed. The retaining wall shown in photos is new and was installed to help control stormwater flow away from the track area, staff said.

Committee members asked whether the dirt from the oval could be used on the baseball field. Staff replied the excavated material is not suitable for baseball because it becomes clumpy when wet and that staff are seeking a compatible infill mix so baseball and softball fields can be upgraded to a similar standard.

On project finance and related work, staff said the district has begun large payments and reimbursement work on other projects: the high school roof project has had a first large payment of $1,100,000 and staff have initiated the state reimbursement process for a state grant that funds most of that roof work.

Staff also reported early-stage work on Glenside and Cedarbrook, including architectural and engineering fees. One of those projects was put out to bid on Monday; by state law the district must allow a minimum three‑week solicitation period. Staff said a bid opening is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 11, and the administration expects to recommend awards for approval on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

A community member asked whether the district tracks minority-business participation at the subcontractor level on large projects. Staff said the district follows its purchasing policy and uses the state Department of General Services and City of Philadelphia vendor databases for outreach, but that subcontractor‑level tracking is not currently performed.

The presentation included photos of concession‑stand work, the new retaining wall, and the areas where throws facilities were relocated after grading; staff described the replacement throws facilities as a minimal additional cost relative to the savings from reusing soil.

The Facilities Committee did not take a separate recorded vote on the stadium presentation; the meeting proceeded to other agenda items.