Scott High fails water test; move back delayed

Reopening delayed 1 week, to Jan. 30

Scott High School students return to their Collingwood Boulevard building has been delayed a week, after the structure failed to pass a fire inspection of low water pressure.

Scott High School students’ return to their Collingwood Boulevard building has been delayed a week, a result of the structure failing to pass a fire inspection because of low water pressure.

The building was to reopen Monday after a two-year rehabilitation project, but it now has a tentative date of Jan. 30, Toledo Public School officials said Friday. Toledo Fire Department officials informed the district Thursday afternoon that the building’s fire-suppression system did not pass a fire inspection, TPS chief business manager Jim Gant said.

“While it’s unfortunate that it’s been delayed, we are not going to put the students at risk,” Mr. Gant said.

Students will continue to attend the former DeVilbiss High School, where they’ve taken classes the past two years while the district conducted a more than $40 million renovation of the Old West End campus. Principal Treva Jeffries said school administrators planned for possible delays, and the change of plans won’t affect academics.

Although water pressure at the street is sufficient, pressure levels were deficient in the building, Deputy Mayor Steve Herwat said.

According to board of education committee meeting minutes, the insufficient water pressure was on the third floor. Poor water flow meant a sprinkler system received inadequate pressure.

Concerns about the water pressure were known for weeks, and the district’s building contractor had been working with the city to increase pressure. The fire department has held intermittent tests at fire pumps and hydrants at the area, Toledo Fire Chief Luis Santiago said.

Scott did not have a sprinkler system before the renovations.

The city made adjustments, and now contractors for the district must add a line into the building.

The added work is expected to cost about $100,000, Mr. Gant said, with about two-thirds of that covered by the state.

Roosevelt Gant, who is with the district’s contracted construction management team of Lathrop Co., Barton Marlow, and R. Gant LLC, said construction teams made several adjustments after water-flow tests but couldn’t fit the changes into the district’s schedule. Mr. Gant is not related to the TPS business manager.

“Everyone has been working on this problem for several weeks within that time frame,” he said. “It just didn’t happen.”

Boys and girls home basketball games next week still will be held at the Collingwood Boulevard field house, Ms. Jeffries said.

Parents with questions about the delay can call 419-671-8200.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086.