Allegheny Valley eyes contract for demolition of Colfax

After years of discussion and deliberations, the end for Colfax Elementary in Springdale may be near.

The Allegheny Valley School Board on Tuesday will consider hiring Kane Specialty Group of Pine to perform asbestos abatement and demolition of the shuttered building along Colfax Street.

Kane submitted a $404,000 base bid and was the lowest bidder, said Hamsini Rajgopal, director of operations and finance, during the board’s meeting Sept. 10. The bid is far below the district’s $1.6 million expected cost for the abatement and demolition.

Rajgopal said 20 vendors visited the site and inspected the building in July, with the district receiving 13 bids for the job. Kane has been in business for 40 years, she said.

Architect Tony Canzian said there will be biweekly status meetings on-site once the contract goes through.

That was reassuring news to Superintendent Pat Graczyk.

“Clear communication is extremely important with this project because of the abatement — because the neighborhood surrounds it,” Graczyk said. “We need someone who’s going to not only communicate with us, but do so clearly in advance so that we can send out communication to people who live nearby the school.”

Canzian told the board some regulations for the demolition are an 8-foot fence around the entire site. No explosives will be used. Kane would be responsible for damages if there were any, Canzian said.

Canzian and Kane will put together a schedule for demolition once the contract is signed, Graczyk said. It also will outline plans for the community and emergency responders.

The district also will consider hiring a project manager with its savings from the low bid to oversee the project.

Colfax was built in 1925, closed in 2018 and has been vacant since. The district has not yet determined plans for the property.