The school dates back to 1963, and in 2014, it was reported that it was in the worst shape of any school in the county, with a sinking foundation, brown water, warped walls, and burst pipes.
County officials are going ahead with renovation plans, which would cost $60m, making it the county’s most expensive remodel ever. However, some teachers, parents, and Peter Franchot, the state comptroller, argue that trying to renovate a structure in such poor condition will simply waste money.
Among those with this opinion was Dayana Bergman, whose child will be attending Lansdowne next year. She and 18 other people attended a board meeting wearing shirts with the slogan:
“Build a new Lansdowne High School”
Kevin Kamenetz, the county executive, says it is estimated that it would cost twice as much to build a new school as it would to renovate the old one, and the county budget does not have the funds to pay for such a project.
The planned work includes renovating the stadium and building a new lobby. This is the second set of plans that members of the Board of Education have seen; an earlier set, which proposed a less expensive renovation, was rejected earlier this year.
Community members are interested in such matters, so officials could work with a newsletter printing company to create a letter to keep them informed.