North Allegheny’s official groundbreaking ceremony for work at Franklin Elementary School was canceled because of rain.
But students joined principal Jeff Anderchak to kick off the expansion and renovation project with their own event to mark the occasion.
Work at the school will nearly double the size of the building from its current capacity of 525 students to about 900 pupils.
The additional capacity is needed to accommodate growth, according to school officials.
Since 2015, the district’s enrollment has increased by 341 students, according to a report issued by the district outlining the findings of a recent demographic study. The report anticipates that the district’s current enrollment of 8,496 students — the largest among suburban districts in Allegheny County — will swell to as much as 8,801 by 2026.
The school board awarded more than $27.5 million in contracts for the Franklin Elementary work during its Feb. 27 meeting.
The building was constructed in 1936 and expanded in 1966. The last renovation and expansion project was done in 1999 when 10 classrooms were added along with a full-size gym, new entrance and a larger library.
R.A. Glancy & Sons Inc., which will serve as general contractor for the project, received the largest contract, $14.76 million.
