A historical preservation group is renewing its plea to Akron Public Schools to renovate rather than replace 11 school buildings.

Progress Through Preservation held a press conference on the steps of Firestone Park Elementary School on Wednesday and argued that renovating the 1917 building would be cheaper than replacing it.

The group's president, Steve France, cited a 2006 report from Akron architects, Chambers, Murphy & Burge.

''Renovation will result in a larger facility with features and facilities that wouldn't be available in a new school for a cost that is $1.5 million less than new construction,'' France said.

The state's latest assessment, however, estimates that a renovated Firestone Park Elementary would cost about $11.3 million, which is about $410,000 more than a new building.

Akron is about halfway through an $800 million construction project that will shut down, renovate or replace every school in the district.

The state is paying for 59 percent of the project, with the rest coming from a city income-tax hike.

The Ohio State Facilities Commission, which oversees the project, recommends that districts replace buildings if the cost to renovate is two-thirds or greater than the cost to build new, although districts can ask to waive that guideline.

Last year, the state estimat
ed that the cost to renovate Firestone would be nearly 104 percent of the cost to build new.

Although the state would pay its 59 percent share of the cost up to 100 percent of building new, it would require Akron to pay the additional 4 percent on top of its normal 41 percent local share, said OSFC spokesman, Rick Savors.

King Elementary School, which the preservation group also wants to renovate rather than replace, also would cost about 4 percent more than building new.

Akron might have to eat even more of the cost on Firestone, because a renovated school would be bigger than what's needed for projected enrollment and the formula makes districts pay for excess capacity, said David James, Akron's executive director of business affairs and the next superintendent.

Although King is slated for replacement, James thinks it's likely it will actually be renovated, because a new school would require property purchases.

''I think King is going to be a renovation because we can't really afford to buy property around King,'' James said.

The district is a long way off from making a decision on either school. Firestone could be put out for bid would be 2010 with King following the next year.

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