BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Area School Board on Monday approved $47.6 million in contracts to build Fountain Hill Elementary School — nearly $3 million less than budgeted.
The district first announced plans in 2023 to tear down Fountain Hill Elementary at 1330 Church St. and replace it with a new three-story, 86,000-square-foot building on the same land.
BASD initially budgeted $50.4 million for the project’s main construction contracts — nearly $3 million more than it awarded Monday.
Bethlehem Area School Board contracts
The BASD board selected Pennsburg, Montgomery County-based Skepton Construction as the project’s general contractor at a cost of $34.5 million.
The board awarded electrical and plumbing contracts totaling $6.9 million to Wind Gap Electric and Myco Mechanical. Contracts for installing and balancing the building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems added $6 million.
Sargent Enterprises will get $178,000 to remove asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous material from the existing school, which must be cleared before demolition can begin.
UntitledBASD initially budgeted $50.4 million for the project’s main construction contracts — nearly $3 million more than it awarded Monday.
The new school’s total budgeted cost, including $2.7 of contingency funds set aside to cover unexpected expenses, now comes to roughly $59 million, down from $62 million a few months ago.
Monday’s contract awards keep the Fountain Hill Elementary project on schedule for cleanup work at the site to begin this summer.
Once hazardous materials have been removed from the site, demolition can begin; construction of the new building is scheduled to start in September.
BASD plans for students to occupy the new building starting with the 2027-28 school year.