Canal Winchester board hears detailed update on performing-arts center and athletic facilities

Shore Architects senior project manager Amadeus Escudero told the Canal Winchester Local Schools Board that the performing-arts center (PAC) and athletic facilities design has moved past the design-development milestone and into the construction‑documents phase. He said the team submitted the site plan to the city’s planning and zoning department, and early site work (phase 1) is scheduled to begin on January 19, with major foundations and field-house work following.

Escudero described the PAC as roughly 703 seats and about 20,000 square feet, with a 20‑foot proscenium and state‑of‑the‑art acoustic panels. “We have just passed our design‑development milestone, and we are now dialing down the drawings and putting together the documents the builders will base construction on,” he said. He noted the design changes expected during construction‑document preparation will be minimal.

The project is being phased so the ball fields remain usable through the end of the season; field construction is planned to begin the following June. The proposed field house includes approximately 16,000 square feet of astroturf practice space, new locker rooms designed for about 100 lockers, training rooms, and a team meeting room of about 1,500 square feet. Escudero said the team aligned new overhead doors with the existing field house so spaces can convert during weather events and described planned storage in a mezzanine and converted shower areas to modern single‑use shower rooms.

Board members pressed on ADA access and circulation. Escudero said code‑required exterior accessible parking will be located close to the main entry and that interior access will include ramps to allow wheelchair users access to the stage and designated accessible seating in the front and back rows. He confirmed there will be no balcony in the current design.

Escudero also reviewed the west‑side layout consolidating baseball and softball fields to address planning‑and‑zoning concerns about neighborhood parking, describe a single press box serving varsity and JV fields, and show a proposed dry basin for stormwater management. He told the board the construction schedule carried through April 2027 and that the district and architects are coordinating with engineering and the core internal team to finalize remaining details.

The board was advised they will likely need a special December meeting to approve the early‑site work package so the January start date can be met; staff said they will propose dates to minimize schedule risk. Escudero said contractors and designers continue to refine finishes and acoustic options and that final decisions will be vetted with theater staff and the project core team.

The superintendent confirmed planning and zoning approval for the site had been received from the city, clearing a significant regulatory hurdle.