New Pennsbury High School Project Approved

FALLS TOWNSHIP, PA — The new Pennsbury High School project has received the green light.

After an extensive review process, the Falls Township Supervisors unanimously granted preliminary and final land development approval at its meeting Thursday night to Pennsbury School District to replace the existing East and West high school buildings with a new unified 9th-through 12th-grade campus on Hood Boulevard.

Construction is expected to begin later this year with an opening for the 2029-2030 school year, officials said. School officials have said the project is estimated to cost $270 million.

The 497,000-square-foot, three-story building would be built on the south side of the existing campus, allowing the current high school buildings to remain operational throughout construction.

In addition to the high school, a 7,150-square-foot bus maintenance garage, 1,837-square-foot transportation office, 2,400-square-foot field maintenance building, and 684-square-foot concession and bathroom building would be constructed on the site.

Once construction is complete, the two high schools, Village Park Elementary School, and several accessory buildings and parking areas would be demolished.

The board’s approval comes on the heels of a Falls Township Planning Commission approval, as well as approval from the Bristol Township Council for the portion of school district property located there.

Before the supervisors voted, resident Jennifer Metzger asked the board to consider only preliminary land development on Thursday, tabling final approval for a later date.

“What’s the rush?” Metzger asked.

Supervisors Chairman Jeff Dence said the board has not rushed anything related to the project. He noted that township professionals have spent the last six months reviewing the school district’s plans.

Metzger had raised concerns about the possibility of construction bids coming back higher than anticipated as part of her reasoning for tabling the final land development approval.

“As a board that’s not our concern,” Dence said. “If the bids come back too high, that’s (the school
board’s) problem, not ours.”

Solicitor Mike Clarke reiterated that Metzger’s concerns were under the purview of Pennsbury School
Board, not the Falls Supervisors.

“There really is no need to bring them back for final approval,” Clarke said. “There are not going to be substantial changes.”

He also said that the school district would need to come back to the board for an amended land
development approval should its plans drastically change.