Pleasantville HS Renovations Ready for New Year

A two-and-a-half year project is drawing to a close.

Andron Construction is putting the finishing touches on , which now has a new library, boiler room, administration site, classrooms, among many other upgrades.

During a presentation at Tuesday's board of education meeting, Hank Lyons of Andron shared some of the recent work.

"We appreciate the working relationship," Mary Fox-Alter said of the dynamic between Andron Construction and the district over the years.

Lyons said he agreed, and pointed out at the project's completion, there are not only aesthetic changes to the school, but also mechanical, electrical, etc.

"It's a modern day building," he said.

This past year, Lyons and his team worked on the lower two levels of the 1929 high school, renovating classrooms, art rooms, a new green rom, computer lab, the district's offices and a meeting space for the special education department in the former library.

Additionally, the new science classroom has been finished with work stations, gas and sinks available for use.

The orchestra and choral rooms will also be separate this year.

"Chorus and orchestra was in the same room for the past few years," said Fox-Alter. "Each have their own space now."

Lyons described the updated senior cafeteria as "clean and bright," while adding, "Freshman Hall does not have an industrial feeling anymore."

Fox-Alter said when some students toured the building, they were especially in awe of Freshman Hall's changes.

Alumni Plaza has also been cleaned up, while the bricks representing alumni have been carefully placed back to exactly where they were prior to construction.

Board Vice President Thomas Exton asked if all of the building will be available for use by students come Tuesday, which Lyons said it would be.

"Basically, today, the last pieces of construction equipment were taken [away]," he revealed. "Substantial completion is where we are now."

Exton commented, "It's been a remarkably smooth two-and-a-half years. We are opening on schedule. We are on budget."

Trustee Louis Conte asked if the upgrades incorporate energy efficient practices.

Lyons said the lighting controls in the building are movement—and sometimes sound—sensitive, which allows them to turn off when rooms are unoccupied, and even dim during daylight hours.

The mechanical components, including fans, heat, etc., "come on when they're supposed to and turn off when they're supposed to," he said.

"It's a beautiful, beautiful campus," said Fox-Alter.