At Thursday night’s Cumberland County Board of Education meeting, discussion centered around Crab Orchard Elementary School’s renovation plans. The building has had several problems throughout the last few years from sewer/septic problems to roof leaks. Kim Chamberlin with the Uplands Design Group showed the board two options with cost estimates. Option A would include a full renovation of the existing building plus additions of a gymnasium, new lobby and eight new classrooms at a cost of $6.8 million. Option B includes the demolition of the original school building, renovating the 2001 wing plus other additions for a total of $9.2 million. Most members favored Option B because it meant constructing almost a totally new facility that would have a 50-60 year life span, as Option A only adds 20-30 years onto the existing structure. The board said that they would take both options into consideration and begin conversations with county commissioners on the subject.
