CRISFIELD, Md. -- Crisfield High School was built in 1952, and despite a renovation in the late 1990s, it has outlived its useful life. We walked through the school on Tuesday and found out why school staff are looking forward to an overdue renovation.
For starters, science classrooms can provide very limited services.
"With the labs we don't have water to them, we don't have the air, we don't have the gas to them," said Crisfield High Principal David Arnold.
The school's problems go beyond the classrooms, though.
Supervisor of Capital Planning, Facilities and Security Jonathon Hill gave us a tour of the decades-old building. He started by the main entrance, which he said will get some serious security improvements during the renovation.
Then we stopped at the auditorium, where Hill said some stage lights haven't worked in years.
"All new ceilings, lighting, finishes, flooring and audio systemin here is going to make this a great presentation space," said Hill, describing future upgrades.
Next stop: the cafeteria.
"So the cafeteria's mainly just going to receive finishes, upgrades" said Hill. "The kitchen is fairly well updated we installed a new serving line just last year."
Then it was time to take the short walk to the boiler room. Hill told us the school still operates on a two-pipe system.
"We don't actually have HVAC controls like you would have in your car, you can go from heat to air condition, we can't do that," said Hill."We have switchovers, so we have heat in the winter time, we have air condition in the summer and that doesn't provide for the shoulder seasons where, as you well know, you could have your heat on one day and your air conditioning on the next."
Hill said switching from air conditioning to heat takes three days.
The bathrooms also need plumbing upgrades, and that only scratches the surface of the needs at Crisfield High School.
Future Upgrades:
Mechanical:
- Replace all HVAC systems
- Includes new boilers, pumps, piping and controls, and AC to gym
- Incorporate ventilation systems with energy recovery and demand controlled ventilation
- Replace classroom unit ventilators with energy recovery units and separate terminal units
- Replace all air handling units, fans and multizone units with terminal equipment
Plumbing:
- New plumbing & custodial fixtures
- Plumbing modifications for new science rooms and restroom layouts (ADA reconfigurations)
- Replace interior cast iron pipe as required (known cracks in ceiling at science room)
- Add water heater to isolate potable water from heat source
- Install backflow prevention and expansion tank on original 4" cold water service
- Expand wet pipe sprinkler system to areas not currently covered
Electrical:
- Replace switchgear in main electrical room and branch panelboards throughout
- Replace light fixtures (excludes gymnasium, stage & Head Start project areas)
- Replace generator, site lighting and exterior building mounted fixtures
- Provide new electrical room to meet life safety and egress codes
- Replace exit signs, egress lighting and fire alarm to meet current life safety standards
- Electrical work associated with HVAC, science room and restroom renovations
Architectural:
- Replace all ceilings at locations not renovated with Head Start project
- Replace all flooring and base in areas not renovated with Head Start project
- Science Room Renovations
- Restroom Renovations
- Replace all exterior windows and doors (excludes Head Start project)
- Replace interior storefront and doors between administrative suite and main corridor
- New electrical room addition and mechanical room reconfiguration
- Patch/repair walls, roof and floors related to MEP scope
- Patch/repair parking at demolished fuel tank building and new utility connections
The $39 million renovation project will be funded by the state of Maryland and is expected to begin in 2028.
Somerset County Public Schools plans on holding a press conference in December to present renderings to the public.
