Designs offer look inside new Park Forest Middle School. When could work start?
The district's new Park Forest Middle School, slated for construction along Little Lion Drive off of Valley Vista Drive, will replace the 54-year-old school of the same name that was last renovated in 1995. Current estimates presented during Monday's school board meeting say the project for the 270,000-square-foot building could cost between roughly $127.9 million and $136.9 million.
Cost estimates for the project could increase by about $2.8 million if alternates are included in the plans, according to Jeff Straub of project architect Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates. He said the project team has worked to keep up with inflation and market shakeups that have forced some cost increases, including a roughly 8% hike in steel prices.
Straub said cost inflation has not yet reflected the dramatic spikes seen shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but tariffs and other significant market changes could still complicate plans for the new middle school. The project team expects to present in July a more detailed cost estimate prepared by a third party.
'The final cost estimate will probably be in the order of magnitude of 60 to 80 pages of detail, really breaking down every system in the building and trying to compare that to the market conditions that are occurring, which is difficult,' Straub told the school board. 'We're all watching the news. It changes daily or weekly — sometimes hourly.'
The project team presented plans at Monday's school board meeting to mark completion of roughly 60% of the development process. An updated schedule for the project shows many objectives left before crews can break ground, including in-depth facility studies and the third-party cost estimate slated for this summer. The team expects to have an Act 34 public hearing scheduled between August and October before the project's 90% check-in arrives by early fall.
Under the current project schedule, the bidding process should begin in October or November before the board can approve plans in November or December. If all goes to plan, construction on the new middle school could start as soon as January or February 2026 and last for about two years.
A large portion of the roughly hour-long presentation featured new concept art and renderings of the new Park Forest Middle School.
Most updates on the project presented to the school board over the last few months centered on the site plan, including stormwater management, utilities, transportation configurations and the placement of geothermal well fields.
Current plans for the site show a lot for bus drop-off and pickup just north of the school, while staff parking and a dedicated lane for parent drop-off and pickup are just south of the school building. A delivery/maintenance area and a loading dock sit slightly to the building's east and west, respectively. The site will keep tennis courts and a soccer field on the parcel's eastern side and place a stormwater basin near Valley Vista Drive.
The project will place geothermal well fields under the soccer field and the north parking lot, plans show.
The middle school's three-story classroom wing will see students physically 'move up' through the sixth, seventh and eighth grades — a cost-effective design choice, Straub said. The building's exterior will feature a blend of stone, masonry and both wood grain and dark bronze metal paneling, though these elements are expected to join concrete in comprising the building's interior. Ceiling clouds are planned to help optimize indoor acoustics.
Elsewhere, the school's gymnasium, library, cafeteria, administrative offices and auditorium will each have a centralized location on the first or second floor.
Angel Henward, a Delta Program student serving as the school board's latest student representative, noted that plans for the new middle school resemble State High. She said the school's layout could help middle school students make a smoother transition to the high school, which opened in 2018.
'I remember when I came from the middle school over to the high school, the middle school is all [on] one floor and kind of small, and it's a very different layout to the high school,' Henward said. 'I felt very confused and disoriented with the way the high school is laid out, and I think having these three separate floors and having kind of a structural similarity to the high school will maybe help kids adjust a little bit better and not feel so confused and so scared about it.'
The project's design team is expected to propose installing bird-safe glass for large windows slated for the middle school's main entrances, library, cafeteria and stair towers throughout the building, which comprise most of the glass used in current plans. Glass of this kind would be used only if the board approves an alternative bid for the project later in the design process.
Following the presentation, some board members and representatives raised concerns about the potential inclusion of many glass windows in the school and security measures planned for the school, specifically referencing the thwarted school shooting allegedly planned to target State High in April. Randy Brown, the district's finance and operations officer, said the team will meet with school resources officers, local police departments and the district's safety experts to discuss recommendations for the new school.
Straub said Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates formed plans for the middle school with specific safety criteria in mind.
'One thing we incorporate in all of our buildings is crime prevention through environmental design,' Straub said. 'In a lot of the images that you saw, we're trying to create a building that's both an inviting and warm educational facility. But we are also trying to embed those security principles.'
Several design elements remain unresolved for now, including a project alternate that could include a solar array with the help of a potential grant from Pennsylvania's Solar for Schools program. Regardless, the school is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification by following a sustainability certification plan used previously by the district when constructing the new State High and three elementary school projects.
The project team expects to continue meeting with Park Forest teachers and staff and other constituents throughout the district as the design process continues. Brown said balancing the new school's many needs creates 'a very tight site plan.'
Park Forest Middle School Principal Karen Wiser said the project team has provided constant communication and listens to feedback.
'They've been great in responding to all of our needs and making sure we're going to be creating the best learning environment for our students,' she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brooklyn homeowner losing his house over 1 unpaid water bill that he didn't know about. Was his home 'stolen' from him?
Filmore Brown worked seven days a week for more than two decades to buy and keep his home in Brooklyn. By 2019, he had finally paid off the mortgage, believing he had secured his future. That was all taken away when strangers showed up at his door in the middle of the night with keys. Those strangers, he learned, had legal permission to enter. Brown is the top-floor occupant of a three-unit home that he bought back in 1996 and paid off the mortgage in 2019. He says he didn't know he had an unpaid water bill for $5,000. That $5,000 may have cost him his house forever — a home worth $800,000. "I don't want anybody to go through what I'm going through," Brown told local news outlet ABC7. "I cannot eat, I cannot drink, and I cannot sleep." Don't miss Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it How $5,000 led to Brown's home being sold out from under him In New York City, people who have larger unpaid tax or water bills risk the city selling their debt to a trust. From that point on, the investors of the trust will attempt to collect the money with interest. If timely payments aren't made, a lien can be put on the house and the investors can sell the home at auction. That's what happened to Brown. His old water bill was sold into the trust system, but once that happened, it no longer showed up on his current bills. According to his attorney, Yolande Nicholson, Brown continued paying his new bills on time — thousands of dollars in property taxes and water bills since 2020 — but those payments never touched the older debt. "I didn't know, I just would've paid it," Brown said. 'There needs to be some type of notification that there's another bill out there that needs to be paid,' Nicholson told ABC7. 'There needs to be more done to make sure that hardworking older people who paid off their mortgage and have fixed incomes don't get into that kind of rut.' Brown's other lawyer, Alice Nicholson, added: 'He said he didn't know anything about this, and I believe him.' Systemic failure in New York City? New York City's Department of Finance insists it sent numerous notices before foreclosure proceedings began. Court documents show papers were served by the investors at Brown's address in November 2020 — at the height of the pandemic. But Brown, who lives on the top floor of a three-unit home, says he never saw them. Apparently, an individual from the lower-level units received it and never gave it to Brown. 'There are more than 6,800 liens that have been put into the trust just for unpaid water bills,' ABC7's investigation found — and the majority are in communities of color. The city has since pledged reforms, saying it has extended timelines, expanded outreach, and worked with nonprofits on door-to-door visits and calls to prevent cases like Brown's. 'Our goal is never to see a homeowner lose their property,' a Department of Finance spokesperson said in a statement. Still, attorneys argue the system disproportionately affects older and lower-income homeowners — often people who've paid off their mortgages and thought they were safe. Read more: Nervous about the stock market? Gain potential quarterly income through this $1B private real estate fund — even if you're not a millionaire. Not just New York The problem isn't unique to Brooklyn. Cities around the country use lien sales to collect unpaid taxes and fees, and cases like Brown's have surfaced elsewhere. In Baltimore, for example, a church was nearly lost to foreclosure over a $3,000 water bill. In Washington, D.C., local investigations have shown how small unpaid balances can snowball into property losses when investors step in. Consumer advocates warn that these systems, intended to help cities recover debts, often end up transferring homes from longtime residents to private investors. The takeaway for homeowners Brown's case shows how easy it can be for a small oversight or clerical error to spiral into a life-changing loss. Even when payments are made, once a debt is sold into a lien trust, it can slip through the cracks. Experts advise: Regularly checking property tax and utility accounts online, not just paper bills. Signing up for city notifications when possible. Seeking legal help immediately if you receive lien notices or foreclosure papers. As for Brown, while his local community and city councilor have rallied around him, the road to a resolution could be long. "It was stolen from me," Brown said. "It was my only dream." What to read next Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 simple ways to grow rich with real estate if you don't want to play landlord. And you can even start with as little as $10 Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What Americans Said About Money In 1994 Still Rings Alarm Bells For Today's Crisis
Thirty years before today's financial influencers started preaching about emergency funds and investment basics on TikTok, ordinary Americans were already sounding the alarm about the nation's broken relationship with money. A revealing street interview from 1994, captured by documentary filmmaker David Hoffman on his YouTube channel, shows that the financial challenges plaguing Americans today have deeper roots than many realize. The Great Spending Hangover In 1994, Americans were experiencing what experts called a 'major transition' from the 1980s' culture of excess. The previous decade had been characterized as a 'decade of spending,' where people routinely spent more than they saved, riding high on what were described as 'terrific' market returns that weren't expected to continue. Don't Miss: Would You Have Invested in eBay or Uber Early? The Same Backers Are Betting on Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — 'The 1990s are turning out to be a savings decade,' one expert observed, noting that Americans were finally beginning to save 'a significant portion of their income'—something they 'hadn't followed before.' This shift was seen as the beginning of a 'long term savings boom.' Sound familiar? Today's Americans are grappling with similar realizations about overspending, just with different triggers—pandemic-induced financial stress, inflation, and economic uncertainty rather than the end of an 80s bull market. America's Savings Rate: A Global Embarrassment The numbers from 1994 paint a stark picture that resonates today. The U.S. maintained a 'very low savings rate' of around 4%—described as 'abysmally low' compared with international peers. Swedish citizens kept one year's income in the bank, Canadians managed three months of expenses, Japan saved 25%-30% of income and China saved in the mid-30s. Financial experts criticized Americans as 'sloppy and lazy' with their spending, advocating for savings rates between 10%-20% annually. The diagnosis was brutal but accurate: Americans 'lived beyond their means.' Trending: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can Fast forward to today, and the U.S. personal savings rate has fluctuated dramatically—spiking during the pandemic but generally remaining well below the levels financial advisors recommend for long-term stability. Retirement Reality Check: Then and Now Perhaps most prescient were 1994 Americans' concerns about retirement funding. They recognized that Social Security would 'not be enough' to support their desired lifestyle and understood they would 'have to have enough invested on their own' to retire comfortably. This realization drove increased interest in 401(k)s and IRAs as 'crucial investment vehicles for retirement'—a trend that has only intensified as traditional pension plans have largely disappeared and Social Security's long-term viability remains questionable. Timeless Investment Wisdom The investment advice shared in 1994 reads like a modern financial planning handbook. Americans understood that diversification was key to 'limiting risks' and should span different asset classes. They recognized that for long-term goals spanning 10, 15, 20, or 30 years, there was 'very little risk in stocks' because market 'dips will even out' and could represent buying opportunities. Most importantly, they grasped that trying to 'figure out the highs and the lows' of the market was 'virtually impossible'—a lesson many retail investors are still learning today amid meme stock frenzies and crypto Behavioral Trap That Never Changed Perhaps the most striking insight was the observation that people typically do the 'opposite' of what they should: buying more when prices rise (lower potential returns) and hesitating when prices fall (higher potential returns). This counter-intuitive behavior pattern remains one of the biggest obstacles to successful investing three decades later. The 1994 interviews reveal that while investment vehicles and technology have evolved dramatically, the fundamental challenges of saving, planning, and smart investing remain remarkably consistent. The Americans who recognized these truths 30 years ago were ahead of their time—and their insights remain more relevant than ever. Read Next: These five entrepreneurs are worth $223 billion – Image: Imagn Images Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article What Americans Said About Money In 1994 Still Rings Alarm Bells For Today's Crisis originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Meme Stocks Are Back in 2025: 3 Smart Ways To Profit Now
If you paid attention to the stock market back in 2021, you might remember the 'meme stock' craze that pushed otherwise struggling companies to record highs. Explore More: Find Out: You might also remember those price surges were almost entirely the result of social media buzz rather than business fundamentals. Investors poured into the stocks mainly because they liked turning conventional Wall Street wisdom inside out — not because they thought the companies made good investments. At the time, it seemed like a passing fad. Suddenly, however, meme stocks are a thing again. Shares of Opendoor, Kohl's, Wendy's, American Eagle Outfitters and other 'embattled' companies have all seen recent surges similar to four years ago, Business Insider reported. This trend is certainly good for the companies. But is it good for investors? Most financial advisors warn against jumping on meme stocks because they tend to sink as fast as they rise. However, you can earn a profit if you follow the right rules. Here are three ways you can potentially cash in on meme stocks in 2025. Review the Fundamentals This is something you should do with any stock — review its business fundamentals to make sure it is on solid financial footing. But it's especially important with meme stocks. TD Bank recommended looking over the company's quarterly and annual reports, as well as its analyst reports. Once you've done that, ask yourself the following questions: Are the company's revenues rising? Are its earnings increasing year after year? Does it have a product lineup that makes sense to you? Does its current stock price have room to grow based on consensus analyst price targets? If the answer is 'yes' to these questions, then you might be able to cash in on a meme stock. I Asked ChatGPT: Pick Recognizable Brands At the very least, a meme stock should have a brand that is recognizable to most investors, according to Fidelity. Meme stocks are volatile enough. What you don't want is a stock that regular investors have never heard of. '[This] could mean those investments share features of a certain kind of trend trading, creating the potential for them to get caught up in irregular trading activity,' Fidelity noted. 'Following the herd or any other impetus that is not grounded in a strong fundamental basis for investing your money is never prudent.' Think Short Term — Not Long Term As Forbes noted, a couple of the more famous meme stocks didn't have much staying power in terms of share price. GameStop's price surged above $480 per share during its meme stock peak in early 2021, but it soon crashed back to reality and currently trades near $22. Similarly, AMC Entertainment hit an all-time stock high of $625.48 on June 2, 2021 during its meme surge, according to MacroTrends. Today, you can buy the stock for about $3 a share. Investors who were savvy (or lucky) enough to sell those shares at the peak cashed in big profits, but you can't depend on that kind of luck. A good rule of thumb is to sell as soon as you have earned a decent profit on the stock — and that usually happens quickly. More From GOBankingRates New Law Could Make Electricity Bills Skyrocket in These 4 States I'm a Self-Made Millionaire: 6 Ways I Use ChatGPT To Make a Lot of Money 5 Strategies High-Net-Worth Families Use To Build Generational Wealth 6 Popular SUVs That Aren't Worth the Cost -- and 6 Affordable Alternatives This article originally appeared on Meme Stocks Are Back in 2025: 3 Smart Ways To Profit Now Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
