Green Light Given to Begin Expansion of Andrew Warde High School 40 Years Ago Today

Much-needed expansion of Andrew Warde High School was finalized 40 years ago today when the High School Building Committee awarded the contract of an addition to the school to P. Francini and Company of Derby on its apparent low-base bid. The committee decided to accept three of the five alternate proposals, including one which called for the construction of a gymnasium with a seating capacity of 2,300 people.

According to an arcticle which appeared in The Bridgeport Post on August 12, 1970, Dr. Robert F. Pitt, chairman, said the committee is studying two other alternate proposals before making a decision. The bids, submitted a week earlier, are within the appropriation made by the town for the project, it was said.

The building committee decided the alternate bid which would increase the size from the new gym from 1,600 to 2,300 seating capacity at an added cost of $78,500; accepted the alternate for removal of football field bleachers and preparing the base for new bleachers at an additional cost of $3,300; and an alternate bid of $1,150 for the installation of a fire alarm enunciator which pinpoints the source of any fire in the school.

The total construction cost of the project with the alternates is $3,681,950, Dr. Pitt said. Plans for the school were prepared by the architect firm of Lyons, Mather, and Lechner.

Dr. Pitt said that Edward Barry and Maryann Mansfield were appointed to a subcommittee to study an alternate bid for improving four tennis courts and constructing two additional courts at a price of $47,500, while William Armstrong was assigned to look into the alternate bid on a substitute electrical system which would deduct $50,000 from the cost of the school construction, Dr. Pitt said.

Paul