Frazier considers Pittsburgh architect
PERRYOPOLIS – The Frazier School Board is considering hiring a Pittsburgh architect for an $8.7 million renovation project to Central and Perry elementary schools, despite some concerns about pending litigation against the firm involving other school district renovation projects. N. John Cunzolo Associates Inc. was one of several architects interviewed by the board and its buildings and grounds committee within the last year.
Committee members John H. Lowery III, Kathy Burkholder, John Sterdis and board member John Keffer toured several schools in the South Allegheny and Norwin school districts on Oct. 30 that Cunzolo either renovated or constructed while reporting at a meeting that night that they were pleased with the architect’s work.
The board plans to meet with Cunzolo prior to the regular meeting Nov. 20 before possibly voting on hiring an architect for Frazier’s renovation project. Cunzolo said that several board members asked if he would be available that night during their tour of the South Allegheny schools.
While Lowery noted he has not decided yet on Cunzolo, he said he is leaning toward the firm because of their lower cost estimate compared with similar estimates from other architects the board interviewed. However, Frederick Smeigh, superintendent, recently provided a report to the board that stated he was dismayed about their intent to interview three architects, one of them Cunzolo, without his input or discussing it with him.
“We have reasons to be concerned about his reputation,” said Smeigh. As the assistant superintendent at Altoona School District for 10 years, Smeigh said that he was familiar with Cunzolo’s work. Smeigh said the school hired the firm for a feasibility study in the 1980s and ended up throwing it out.
Throughout his tenure there, Smeigh said he was responsible for the maintenance of the school district’s renovation projects to the junior high and elementary schools while working closely with the architects and on specifications and construction.
Because of Cunzolo’s legal history, Smeigh reported to the board that he would continue to research the firm.
“I will not accept being frozen out of this vital decision like I was frozen out of the last teachers’ negotiations,” said Smeigh.
Bill Vargo, board vice president, said he was unaware of Cunzolo’s legal troubles and was never informed of them by any board member. “I had to find out on my own,” Vargo said.
Joe Stark, board member, said he too was unaware of the problems until he received a copy of Smeigh’s report. Stark added that he is also concerned because none of the board members who toured the schools informed him about Cunzolo’s legal problems.
During the tour, Keffer said Lowery referred to Smeigh’s report about the lawsuits while Cunzolo spoke personally about the litigation and defended his work.
When contacted at his office, Cunzolo said his firm countersued one school district over a lawsuit and was exonerated in another lawsuit because the problems involved the contractor.
Meanwhile, a contract Cunzolo had with the Brownsville Area School District to renovate the high school/middle school was terminated in July by a 5-4 vote.
Dr. Gerry Grant, Brownsville superintendent, said the majority of the board decided they wanted to hire a local architect for the project, therefore firing Cunzolo and hiring Michael S. Molnar Associates of Uniontown before it underwent the planning and construction process with the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
When contacted at his office, Cunzolo said the motive behind his termination from Brownsville was strictly political.
“It had nothing to do with my performance,” said Cunzolo, who has been in business since 1957.