PARMA, Ohio — Seven Hills Mayor Anthony Biasiotta is asking the Parma City School District to put the demolition of the Parma Senior High building on hold and consider exploring Ohio building renovation funding to restore the building.
Biasiotta made his request in an open letter this week, asking the district to look into the possibility that up to $250 million in state funding may be available from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to renovate the now-vacant old high school building.
Biasiotta told News 5 that the current master plan to take down the old high school should be stopped until additional options can be considered, promoting even more transparency and giving the residents even more time for public input.
“It’s not about saving a building; it’s about a process and keeping all our options on the table until we have something approved," Biasiotta said. "We like to say there’s a master plan that was approved by the board, but it never came by a vote of the people.”
Biasiotta said other Ohio school districts have prevailed in getting renovation funds and opted for renovation instead of building replacement.
"Most recently, just in Shaker Heights with buildings that were older than ours, the waivers got approved for three schools," Biasiotta said. "In Shaker Heights, they had three buildings that were over the 67%, or what we like to call the two-thirds threshold, rebuild versus repair, and all three were approved for 100% of the funding that they would have got for rebuild, so they were able to protect their heritage."
But Parma City School District Superintendent Charles Smialek told News 5 that the renovation of the old Parma High School building is simply not economically viable. Smialek said the building was too large for district needs, especially with a shrinking student population.
Smialek said obtaining state renovation funds is a long shot, especially with the demolition of the high school and Parkview and Renwood Elementary already in motion for completion by as early as mid-winter. Smialek said eliminating the buildings would save the district $3 million annually.
“In my estimation, it’s an exercise in futility; we have significant needs in our buildings, we have a significant amount of square footage," Smialek said.
“We worked extensively with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission and with an architectural consultant, and we started that work in 2018, and at no point in our conversations and meetings was that ever addressed as a viable option for us."
Still, even though Smialek believes it's a long shot, he agreed to have district leadership take one last look at Mayor Biasiotta's proposal.
"Certainly, we want to study this, but at the same time, all of our study to this point has led us to the conclusion of where we are now,” Smialek said. “We are actually having an attorney review the letter that Mayor Biasiotta posted last night; we also have a work session scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 19, at 1:30, at our Board of Education office. It's open to the public, and there will be the opportunity for public comment."
Meanwhile, Biasiotta believes exploring all options and slowing the demolition process will create even more transparency among residents who will vote on district operating renewals in November, renewals that will not produce a tax increase.
“Multiple times we’ve had a bond issue, two different forms, go to the electorate and each time it was turned down," Biasiotta said.
"And if we’re a little more methodical about presenting to the public all our options, the chances of getting something passed will be better because people aren’t going to come and say, 'Why didn’t you look into this? Why wasn’t there an appraisal?'”
News 5 will continue to follow through on this developing story.
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