Ground broken for school

Grades six through eight are at the new school.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- City, school and state officials dug in their shovels, breaking ground for the first new school building here in about 40 years.
The ceremony took place Monday at the site of the new middle school in Brynhyfryd Park on the south side.
It will replace the 88-year-old Edison Junior High School on Church Street. The school will house pupils in grades six through eight.
Details: The building is expected to open for classes in fall 2002.
Total project cost is $14 million. Voters passed a bond issue in 1999 to fund the $5.88 million local share. A grant from the Ohio School Facilities Commission will pay for the remainder.
The cost includes $544,800 for the demolition of Edison, which is expected to be done after the new school opens.
Thanks: Superintendent Pat Guliano thanked those involved with the project, from city officials and state Rep. Anthony Latell Jr. of Girard to those who worked on the levy campaign.
Latell, formerly a state senator, sat on the Senate finance committee when the school district was seeking state funds for the project and worked with Republican Richard Finan, who was the Senate majority leader at the time, to secure the state funds.
The building plan includes the city's selling about 88 acres of the park off state Route 46 to the school district for $1.
The Niles Historical Society got about 6 acres for its Ward-Thomas House and Museum. The city retained 2 acres fronting Route 46.
"Without good schools, it's not a good community," said Mayor Ralph A. Infante Jr.
The school board awarded a $523,369 contract last month for site preparation to Schimley Excavating of Niles, the low bidder.
URS Construction Services of Pittsburgh is the construction manager named by the Ohio School Facilities Commission.