Construction to begin soon
on new Fels High

By Diane Villano-Prokop
Times Staff Writer

With building permits expected to be issued any day, construction is set to begin on the new Samuel Fels High School. Preparations were being made to install a 10-foot security fence and move construction trailers onto the site.
School district officials, project manager Robert Wolfe, construction manager Mark Marshall, of the Gilbane Building Co., and architect Allan Stock, of L. Robert Kimball and Associates, met with Oxford Circle residents at the Glading Memorial Presbyterian Church last week to update them on the project.
The 250,000-square-foot building will rise at the old John F. Kennedy Hospital site, at 5500 Langdon St., and replace the cramped and outdated Fels building at Algon and Devereaux avenues.
Fels was converted from a middle school to a high school in 1989. It was never equipped with standard high school amenities, such as science labs and sports fields.
According to Fels principal Gregory Hailey, the current school, built in 1955, has severe structural problems, including cracks that cause significant drafts and make it extremely difficult to heat some classrooms.
When it is completed in the spring of 2009, the $68 million school will accommodate 1,200 students, a 600-seat auditorium, swimming pool, 15,000-square-foot gym, a practice football field and a baseball field. The school is expected to open in September 2009.
"Thank God we’re on our way and have made some movement," said Wendy Shapiro, superintendent of the school district’s North Region.
The school building was proposed in 2004.
During last week’s Oxford Circle meeting, residents reiterated concerns about bus and truck routes, trash and security at the work site.
Martin Bednarek, a member of the city’s School Reform Commission, criticized the construction panel for not having color renderings of the school available so that residents would have a visual reference during discussions of roads and entrance locations.
Lana Felton-Ghee, the school district’s community outreach consultant, requested that renderings be made and put on display for the community at a convenient location. That location will be announced at a later date.
She also said that a future community meeting would be arranged with police and school officials to address security concerns with the community.
The construction schedule for the school will be 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The community will be alerted if work is necessary on Saturdays or Sundays.
Residents who have concerns about the construction can call the school district’s community outreach hot line at 215-400-8815. ••
Reporter Diane Villano-Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dvillano@phillynews.com