Quaker Valley School District officials plan to host tours of a proposed high school site in Leet.
District director of facilities Charlie Gauthier will serve as the tour guide of the property at 210 Camp Meeting Road.
It is a walking tour. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes. It is also advised to bring water, bug spray and sunscreen depending on the weather.
The next two sessions are 9-10 a.m. on Aug. 2 and Aug. 11.
The tour, itself ,takes about 40 minutes with some time left over for questions.
District spokeswoman Angela Conigliaro said Quaker Valley offered site tours last summer. She said nothing at the site has changed since that time.
Previous tours were open to 20 people per session. That has been changed to 40 people per tour due to popular demand.
“We’ve had so many people express interest in the high school project, so we wanted to make sure they had a chance to see the property,” Conigliaro said. “It’s a beautiful site and has amazing views. The opportunities are endless, and we want people to see the possibilities of the future high school.”
The school district wants to build an estimated 167,000-square-foot facility on about 150 acres of land off Camp Meeting Road.
Project costs were estimated between $90 million and $100 million.
About 650 students would eventually be enrolled.
The project is in legal limbo as the district has appealed a Leet Zoning Hearing Board denial of its special exception application.
The board denied the application in February primarily due to district plans not having an emergency access road, one specifically for use by police, fire and EMS.
The district’s legal team claimed such a road would be better introduced as part of the land development approval process.
Quaker Valley’s 45-page appeal was filed in Allegheny County Court on April 12.
A virtual status conference took place June 16 with Common Pleas Judge Joseph James and attorneys representing the district, the zoning hearing board and a small group of petitioners that support the board’s denial.
Legal teams were given 60 days to file briefs to further make their case. Documents are due Aug. 15.
The district continues to work on the design phase of the project with its architectural team.
Architects at the April 26 school board highlighted community engagement that took place the past year or so, and showcased some conceptual drawings of the school.
It can be found under the “presentations” section of the school board tab.
Superintendent Tammy A. Andreyko said Tuesday the tours are another way for the district to be transparent in its plans, and give Quaker Valley families an opportunity to share in its vision of the future.
“We are always elated to welcome people to the site of the new high school,” Andreyko said. “It is a beautiful spot with amazing views; once individuals visit the property, they recognize what a breathtaking spot it is. By inviting community members to tour the location, they have the chance to ask questions and learn more about the project.
“Keeping the community informed about our progress is very important to us. We enjoy showcasing the land where Quaker Valley High School will call home.”
More information about the tour and how to register is available on the district’s website, qvsd.org.
Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, [email protected] or via Twitter .