Final design plans are in for renovations that will expand the Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School’s options to include programs ranging from mental health to aviation technology.
Design plans presented to the Bethlehem Area School Board Monday night come with a $13.8 million price tag, with optional add-ons pushing the estimate to $15 million.
Renovations plus the cost of the property bring the overall estimated project cost to $23 million, which is below the $25 million budget cap set by a memorandum of understanding endorsed by Bethlehem Area and its partner districts Northampton Area and Saucon Valley, which also send students to the vo-tech school.
Bethlehem Area also has $4 million in capital reserve funds available to keep the project under budget after it is bid.
Construction is slated to begin in January and will be near completion by August 2026, although work on the welding and aviation facilities is scheduled to run through December 2026.
Most programs at the renovated sites will be open for the 2026-27 school year, with welding and aviation coming the following year. The aviation program currently is focused on technician training but could be expanded to include additional options such as the air traffic controllers exam.
The existing building at 3300 Chester Ave. in Bethlehem Township is slated to receive upgrades to its exterior, including signage, additional fencing and parking layout changes.
Interior space in that building will be repurposed, with the most construction slated for the veterinary technician space. Two health career labs will also be redesigned to focus on mental and behavioral health.
A new campus at 315 Columbia St. in South Bethlehem will host a welding lab, as well as space for sports medicine, culinary arts, health careers and electronics technology programs.
A separate building, designed to house aviation technology programs, includes space for a small plane the district aims to source through donations.