BETHLEHEM, Pa. \u2013 A middle school constructed nine years ago is showing some cracks.<\/p>\n
During its joint committee meeting Monday night, the school board of Bethlehem Area School District reviewed an agreement for an investigation<\/a> to determine if settlement cracking has stopped at Nitschmann Middle School.<\/p>\n The building, which opened its doors on West Union Boulevard in 2017, has visible and documented issues, including cracks in drywall and vertical floor separation, according to meeting documents. Nothing observed affects the building\u2019s structural safety, documents state<\/a>, but the cracks are significant enough to warrant repair.<\/p>\n At its next meeting, the school board will vote on whether to proceed with an investigation to determine if the settlement of the building has stopped. The project architect, prime contractor, project manager and district have agreed to share the $37,500 cost of the investigation. The cost will be shared equally among Breslin Architects, D\u2019Huy Engineering, Penn Builders and BASD.<\/p>\n The investigation will include a laser survey conducted three times over the next year. Following the survey, repair solutions will be developed based on the findings.<\/p>\n