Workers clear asbestos from Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School as renovation work continues

Workers finished clearing out asbestos from the lobby area of Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School this week ahead of further renovations set to begin next month, according to Allegheny Valley Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Jay Zangrille.

The asbestos, original to the 65-year-old building, was encapsulated behind tiles in the lobby and not exposed to the air, according to Jan Zastawniak, the district’s director of public relations.

Though the asbestos in the lobby area is cleared, she said there still might be other encapsulated areas throughout the school.

The district is currently waiting on clearances from Allegheny County inspectors before it begins a larger overhaul of the lobby that will last several months, Zangrille said.

The main task there is construction of larger restrooms to accommodate several people at once, as well as a separate one for use by one person at a time. The restrooms, which will be to the left of the lobby entrance, will be wheelchair accessible, a feature they currently lack.

The first step will be an electrical rewiring of the area, which Zangrille said will begin Aug. 4.

On the building’s exterior, he said, crews would begin tile work on the high school’s “D” wing within a week or two.

The repairs will address the separation of large precast concrete façade panels that have crumbled since they were installed in 2012.

The various projects at the high school coincide with the ongoing construction of a new turf field for the district’s football, soccer, and track and field teams across the street from the school. Zangrille said crews there will begin laying the turf surface in early August to be ready for the fall sports seasons.

“There’s a lot going on this summer, and we’re working on getting everything ready for the start of the school year at the end of August,” Zastawniak said.

The interior renovations are expected to last until November, Zastawniak said, but the district is hoping contractors will be able to complete work that requires jackhammers before students return to the classroom.

The first day of school is set for Aug. 25.