Building survey highlights $21M in upgrades

PENN YAN--The Penn Yan school board heard the summary of a building survey Wednesday, March 2, that indicated more than $21 million in possible work. The presentation was given by Brian Cieslinski of SEI Design, who helped conduct the architectural and engineering review of each of the district's three buildings, along with reviewing historical documents and discussing issues with staff members. He highlighted possible work that the district could conduct in future capital projects across each building, which totaled a potential $21,112,800.
One of the top items included a possible replacement of the bus garage and maintenance building. He said the space is inadequate, the clearances are not safe, the lifts are aging, exhaust is not adequate and there is poor heating in the building. Cieslinski also pointed out the office access is not to code, the turning radius is tight and the fuel depot is aging. He said the potential costs there amount to $7,131,400, although some of these costs include the cost of a repair rather than a replacement, so some figures are repeated.
Cieslinski noted in the elementary building, there are $3,183,000 in possible improvements that can be done. He said this includes fixing issues like the foyer by the gym area floor cracking, accessibility items, rated doors, aging millwork, heating and venting issues, and sills that are breaking up. Cieslinski said the district's building is not in bad shape, but has certain areas that could use fixing or replacing.
Cieslinski noted the middle school is the building in most need of repair, totaling $8,569,900 in possible work. He said this could include science renovations, accessibility items, fire panel upgrades and strobes, a PA system update, a lighting update and pneumatic control replacement.
Cieslinski said the Penn Yan Academy building is in the best shape of the three, highlighting $2,198,600 in work. He noted this includes bringing some current deteriorating railings to code, fixing the exhaust in the drying room, conducting a PA system head end replacement, including data closet cooling, fixing minor cracking on the concrete outside the library and fixing the rated door issues.
Superintendent Howard Dennis said these are not costs the district has to take on all at once, adding they will need to work on a way to address these issues in a way that is fair to the taxpayer when it comes time for a new capital project. Cieslinski said the next steps include prioritizing the work to be done, review the feasibility of each project and develop fiscally responsible solutions, as well as a long-term plan for capital work.