Lakewood Schools Closer to Final Phase of Construction?

The “signs are favorable” that the Lakewood City Schools will get approved for state funding to finish the $75 million Phase 3 construction project. 

Schools officials may know by this summer whether the district will get the green light to move forward.

In this final phase, Roosevelt and Lincoln elementary schools would either be renovated or rebuilt and half of Lakewood High School would be rebuilt. 

The school district has waited since 2007 for the final word from the state agency then-known as the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission on nearly $47 million in funding to finish the project. 

The district would need to pay the difference, likely through a bond issue.

The school board recently received a glimmer of hope that the project could move forward in 2013 in the form of a letter from the state agency.

At the latest, Lakewood would be approved in 2014.

School officials have said that once the district gets the go-ahead, it would need to place a bond issue before voters.

That could be as soon as this November’s ballot, but the district continues to wait for approval.

School board member Emma Petrie Barcelona said the “signs are favorable” the district will be approved this year.

“We affirmed that we wanted them to consider us,” she said. “(The board approved) a reaffirmation that we are entering into a pool of people they’re considering this summer.”

“We intend to move forward.”

Petrie Barcelona said that the districts in line ahead of Lakewood are “reviewing whether they’re ready to move forward.”

The district should have more information in June or early-July, she added.

“We have been affirming that we are ready to go,” she said.