Study outdated
As the architect for the Uniontown Area School District, I have kept quiet about the current complaints being made about the high school project. However, Friday’s letter to the editor about the project is so misleading that I feel compelled to comment. The feasibility study referred to in Friday’s letter is outdated, has many inaccuracies and failed to consider important issues. For example, it miscalculated the square footage of the existing facility. The actual square footage is about 215,000 square feet but the 1999 study says it has 130,000 square feet. Thus any cost estimates based on this will be wrong.
Even more important the 1999 study did not consider any educational deficiencies. Significant new construction is needed just to house the current programs. For example, 12 mandated special education classrooms, 16 new classrooms to house existing programs and the replacement of nine substandard classrooms are necessary. Of these substandard classrooms, for example, one was built as a coatroom.
A much more comprehensive study was completed by our firm in January, 2004. It contains 61 pages specifically about the Uniontown Area High School. The 1999 study only has six pages addressing the high school. Friday’s letter to the editor ignored our study.
It is improper for anybody to present to the public factually misleading, incorrect and outdated information. If you are going to present information to the public, verify the accuracy of the information. To do otherwise is shameless and inexcusable.
Mark Altman
Uniontown