OHIO Replacing schools catches on

Leetonia's three buildings were demolished and a new school was built.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
Although a project to build all new city school buildings may be rare in the Mahoning Valley, it's not uncommon across the state, an official says.
Earlier this year, the Ohio School Facilities Commission recommended that Warren city schools construct all new buildings.
"It certainly isn't a rare bird that we would recommend all buildings be built new," said Rick Savors, an OSFC spokesman. "It's not uncommon."
If the cost of renovating a building exceeds two-thirds the cost of new construction, the commission recommends new construction.
But, so far under the program, total rebuilding has been unusual in the Mahoning Valley, with only Warren and Leetonia being the exceptions.
In Youngstown, the Valley's other urban district, the master plan for new schools calls for four new elementary schools and new middle and high schools.
As many as 12 other buildings will be renovated during the project that got under way last year.
OSFC is providing 80 percent of the estimated $168 million project cost of the Warren project and a 6.5-mill levy on the November ballot is to raise the remainder.
The plan is to build five new kindergarten-through- eighth grade buildings and a new high school. The district's 13 current elementary and three middle schools would likely be demolished.
The school board plans to use $1 million of the local funds to preserve historic elements of Warren G. Harding High School.
In Leetonia
In Columbiana County, the Leetonia district's three buildings were demolished and the grades were consolidated into one new school building.
Washingtonville and Orchard Hill elementary schools and Leetonia High School were demolished and a new school to house pupils in kindergarten through grade 12 was built using a combination of OSFC and local money.
OSFC covered about $15 million of the roughly $17 million project.
The state has recommended larger-scale projects in other parts of the state as well.
Dayton schools
Dayton School District, for example, had 59 school buildings when it was approved for OSFC funding.
The plan is to abandon 56, built 33 new buildings, renovate one and take no action on two others.
When complete, the Dayton district will include 28 new elementary schools for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, four new high schools and a new career technical high school.
The historical Stivers High School is being renovated.