Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Harrisburg School District moves forward with re-opening of vacant Steele Elementary School

Steele Elementary School

The Harrisburg School District soon will move forward with a plan to renovate and reopen a shuttered school building.

At a board meeting on Tuesday, Receiver Dr. Lori Suski approved the revitalization of the long-vacant Steele Elementary School as an elementary school.

“I’m so excited to have this started,” said school board director Danielle Robinson at a previous meeting. “I have wanted this for so long. I’m happy this is the start of opening this school.”

The $21.6 million proposed project includes restoring the three-story building, which is located on the 2500-block of N. 5th Street. The school closed around 11 years ago.

The renovated property would house pre-K through fifth-grade classes in the district. A study by Mechanicsburg-based architect Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates showed that most of the district’s schools are near or over their capacity. With the addition of Steele School, the district will be within the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s recommended capacity levels, according to the architect.

According to the district, funds for the project would come through Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) dollars that the district received during the pandemic.

A preliminary design by Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates proposes demolishing much of the interior of Steele School, as it has become dilapidated over the years. Engineers have also proposed building an addition onto the back of the school to house a new cafeteria and extra classroom space. They would also renovate all classrooms, the gym and administration and nurse offices.

The current plan would place pre-K and kindergarten classrooms on the first floor, first and second grade on the second floor and third through fifth grade on the third floor.

As part of the project, outdoor play areas would be updated, as well. Engineers plan to preserve the historic nature of the building’s exterior.

Also on Tuesday, Suski approved a $558,000 contract with Retro Environmental, Inc. for the selective demolition within Steele School.

The district currently anticipates the renovation taking place from January 2023 through June 2024, with a possible opening date in August 2024.

“We want to bring a sense of pride back to that neighborhood because now they have their own neighborhood school,” Superintendent Eric Turman said at a previous meeting. “It’s another step in the right direction for Harrisburg as we try to do what’s right for our students.”

 

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