.png)
.png?mask=1)
MUNHALL – September 26, 2024 – Construction is officially underway on Steel Valley Elementary.
The state-of-the-art building will unite Steel Valley School District’s kindergarten through fifth grade students under one roof for the first time in district history. The new school will replace Barrett Elementary in Homestead and Park Elementary in Munhall, both of which are over 100 years old.
The district celebrated the official start of construction on the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, September 26. Current elementary students from Barrett and Park joined administrators and school board members to dig their shovels into the ground and kick off the project.
“The unification of both of our elementary schools into one and putting all K through 5 learners in one brand new, state-of the-art building offers the best possible educational and social environment for our kids,” Steel Valley School District Superintendent Bryan M. Macuga said. “For the first time in Steel Valley history, we will be able to have all of our students in grades K through 12 on one, singular campus. We could not be more excited and proud to officially begin this journey.”
The district spent over three years working with Pittsburgh-based architects DRAW Collective to develop a design that will provide students with a safe, secure building equipped with modern tools and amenities that will empower district educators to teach in innovative, creative while providing individualized support and resources to students in need. Eckles Construction Services is serving as construction manager and Rycon Construction, Inc. was awarded the general construction contract in June.
“Today marks an exciting new chapter for the Steel Valley School District,” said Jim Bulger, President of the Steel Valley School District Board of Directors. “This center represents our commitment to providing the best possible education for our students, where they can thrive in a space designed for collaboration, innovation, and safety.”
Students, families, staff, community members, and area dignitaries observed the groundbreaking ceremony Thursday evening. The school is being built adjacent to the Steel Valley High School and Middle School campus in Munhall on the site of the former Franklin Primary and Griffin Field. The elementary building and secondary campus will be connected via parking lots and landscaping, enabling the two to share resources and allow the district to provide enhanced security for all students and staff.
Site preparation began in August with the initial transformation of terrain and the dismantling of Franklin Primary. The project is tentatively expected to be completed in August 2026 in time for the beginning of the 2026-27 school year. Information about the new school can be accessed via steelvalleyelementary.org.
