The Allentown School Board on Thursday heard feasibility plans for $230 million worth of athletics, play area and building renovations it will now bring to the community for prioritization.
Projects under consideration range from a 36-month, $18.4 million renovation of the Allen High pool to $250,000 investments in the play areas at Sonia Sotomayor Dual Language Immersion Academy and Washington Elementary School. The $230 million figure also encompasses anticipated renovations at Sonia Sotomayor and Bridgeview Academy.
“These aren’t projects yet,” said the district’s Chief Operations Officer Robert Whartenby. “These are ideas.”
Social media posts recently drew attention to the Allen High pool, which was constructed around 1970 and has reportedly been leaking for decades. The district issued a statement saying there were no immediate health hazards and noting that air quality tests will continue.
Demolishing and reconstructing the interior of the natatorium would cost $18.4 million and take at least 36 months from design to completion, Whartenby said Thursday. That would include upgrades to mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as a renovation of locker rooms.
Board member Lisa Conover strongly objected to that level of investment in an aging Allen High facility, arguing it would be cheaper to bus students to a facility with a new pool.
The Dieruff High practice field also is in need of an overhaul. The track, on which Allen and Dieruff athletes now practice, is nearing the end of its life, Whartenby said. A 21-month renovation of the track and field house that includes a turf field is projected at $15 million, while an option that includes a grass field is projected at $7.5 million to $10 million.
J. Birney Crum Stadium also made the list of athletic facilities due for renovations. Adding restroom and concession space and demolishing the existing upper-level stadium structure is estimated to cost $7.5 million, with an additional $1.5 million necessary for field and track replacements. That project is anticipated to last 35 months.
Potential upgrades to the middle school athletic fields include the addition of electricity and restrooms to the Harrison-Morton field, estimated at $300,000 to $580,000. Reconditioning the field and reconstructing the block shed at the Union Terrace Elementary School and Raub Middle School field would cost between $230,000 and $500,000.
Whartenby also noted room for improvement at elementary school play areas, calling attention to the fact that Sonia Sotomayor’s campus still features a silver metal slide and Washington Elementary School students play on asphalt in a partitioned parking area. Renovating Sonia Sotomayor’s play area is budgeted at $250,000, with estimates for a new play area at Washington Elementary School between $250,000 and $350,000.
District administrators should not be the ones making the call on which of these projects actually happen, Superintendent Carol Birks said.
“Our vision is that we have our collective community determine where our priorities should be,” Birks said.
Construction projects underway
Two construction projects already in progress are the building of a new K-8 East Side campus and the completion of a Family and Community Resource Center adjacent to Bridgeview Academy.
The new K-8 East Side campus is projected to cost $136 million, Whartenby said. A public hearing to discuss the project will be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Community Services for Children building at 1520 Hanover Ave.
The Family and Community Resource Center is a $12 million project that is currently out to bid. Construction is scheduled to start in November and last a year, with the building expected to open in December 2026.
The center is designed as a hub that will house enrollment, registration and transportation services for families.
“A lot of this stuff will happen under one roof as opposed to 28 different buildings,” Whartenby said.
The center will also offer health care, including dental, telehealth, immunizations and mental health services. Workforce development and adult English classes will have dedicated meeting space.