Hempfield Area works through 'legal ramifications' in effort to use former architect's work for renovation

Hempfield Area School District officials say they won’t know what they can use from a completed architectural plan for the high school renovation project until a legal process plays out between the district and the firm that drew up the plans.

Interim Superintendent Kimberlie Rieffannacht declined to provide specifics about the legal process.

Bellevue-based Core Architects resigned from the district’s high school renovation project in February. Hempfield has been searching for a new architect since and sought proposals from interested firms two weeks ago.

The renovation project has been on hold since August when bids for some of the proposed work revealed the project’s cost had ballooned to almost $150 million — nearly $20 million more than was projected.

“Our hope is to use as much of (Core’s previously completed architectural plan) as possible, but until the legal ramifications are completed and the new firm is in place, and we can work with them on that process, we cannot talk specifically about how much or what can be used or not used,” Rieffannacht said.

“It’s hard not knowing, but it is something we are working through.”

The interior of the high school building was expected to be gutted and renovated over the course of the next three years, leaving most of the exterior intact with some additions.

Damion Spahr, a representative from construction manager SitelogIQ, said the district is reviewing the proposals it received from architectural firms interested in stepping in. District officials have not said how many firms submitted proposals.

“The process will include creating a shortlist of firms from those submissions that will be invited to an interview with the district,” Spahr said.

Rieffannacht said the district hopes to decide on a new firm in April.

“We’re working through that selection of the next architect to bring on our team,” she said.

She added that the separation from Core will take time.

“The separation comes with a lot of legal ramifications that we are still working through,” Rieffannacht said. “It does take some time.”

Hempfield paid Core more than $2.4 million for work it completed before resigning. Core had been working with the district on the high school renovation since 2022.