Harding panel seeks more time

By Tim Yovich

The board could determine tonight what to do with the old Harding High School.

WARREN — A committee created to provide alternatives to the entire demolition of Warren G. Harding High School will ask the board of education for more time to determine how money can be raised to fund preserving part of the historic building.

By a 4-2 vote, with one abstention, members of the Harding Historic Respect Committee agreed to ask the board to give it until May 19 to determine what methods are available to raise money through grants and private donations to keep the façade, offices behind it and auditorium.

Harding will close in June at the end of this school year and reopen in the fall in a new facility adjacent to the old building.

Approving of the measure were chairman Anthony Payiavlas, Judge Donald Ford, Dave Ambrose and Tom Klingerman. Voting against it were John Taylor, former city treasurer, and Colette Parker.

School board member Shari Harrell abstained because she will have to vote on the committee recommendation.

Committee members John Pogue, Jim Pugh and Edward Bolino, a school board member, did not attend the meeting.

The board had approved a resolution to demolish the entire structure, but at the same time formed the committee to come up with preservation options by Monday night.

Voters approved a bond issue in 2003 that would generate $1 million for preservation. Now, $927,000 is left of the money originally set aside for the task.

Klingerman and Ambrose said they want to retain the façade, offices and auditorium.

The committee also wants to pursue a plan that the 1924 original school be designated on the National Register of Historic Places, thus making it eligible for state and federal funding.

In voting against giving the board the recommendations, Taylor questioned what would become of the façade and auditorium if they are retained from the wrecking ball and who would operate it.

Parker agreed with Taylor, noting that she isn’t confident that the public would support the plan.

“Do we just let the committee fall over the cliff?” Payiavlas asked.

Harrell said the board needs to make a decision by tonight because it is scheduled to approve documents for the abatement of hazardous materials such as asbestos before the school is razed.

Bill Schurman, project manager for Carbone, Ozanne, Hammond Management Team of Canton, said the board could agree to demolish the building in sections, so that land is available to construct a loop road for the new building to open on time. Without the road, the school won’t be able to open in the fall, he noted.

There might be a savings by not demolishing the façade, offices and auditorium, he added.

Schurman explained that by demolishing the building in phases, it might have a negative impact on the 81 percent of the cost being provided by the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

He said there has been no design work done other than to demolish all of Harding.

Payiavlas said it will take until May 19 to find out how much it will cost to demolish a portion now and a portion later. It’s been the school board’s decision that no money be used for preservation work other than what has already been set aside.

yovich@vindy.com