Port Chester Voting On Bond For Middle School Repairs

PORT CHESTER, NY — Port Chester School District voters will go to the polls Tuesday, Feb. 6 to decide whether to approve a $12.5 million bond project. The money would be slated for renovations to Port Chester Middle School’s building exterior.

The vote will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Port Chester Middle School gym, 113 Bowman Ave. in Port Chester.

According to information on the district’s website, the project primarily addresses the recent emergency safety work and necessary reconstruction at the middle school for “a long-term, safe and cost-effective solution.”

At the end of October 2017, the middle school was closed for several days due to a window overhang that broke away from the building.

Nearly 90 similar panels had to be shored up and safety bridges installed before the school was allowed to reopen.

The safety project will resolve emergency safety concerns by removing the exterior concrete cantilevers, repairing pedestrian bridges and replacing stairwell fire safety doors.

If the project comes to fruition, the school and district will see an annual 8 percent energy savings, due to replacement of 50-year-old single-pane windows with state-of-the-art energy-efficient insulated windows.

Two other smaller projects will address installing ADA-compliant handrails at Edison School and upgrading the high school auditorium’s audio system.

The annual taxpayer cost is estimated to be $9.054 per $100,000 of residential property value.

Officials said, out of the total costs, 95 percent is eligible for reimbursement from the state at a rate of 69.5 percent.

For more information, read the frequently asked questions on the district mailer.

Photo credit: Google Maps.