The building, to be built off Ehrman Road at the border of Cranberry and Jackson townships, will replace the existing Evans City elementary and middle school. The entirety of the campus will sit in Cranberry Township.
The two-story, 199,336-square-foot school has a maximum building construction cost of about $60.5 million, with a maximum project cost of more than $78.7 million.
The building design features wings, with elementary classrooms on one side and middle school on the other. Classrooms are a combination of traditional and collaborative learning spaces.
Common areas in the middle are meant to draw students in via stairs and walking ramps to promote interaction.
The state-of-the-art facility focuses on sustainability, and will itself serve as a teaching tool as components like solar panels can be used to educate.
To address traffic on Ehrman Road, a roundabout will serve the school’s entrance, as well as adjacent Legend Creek Drive.
Following a public hearing Thursday, the project was approved in one phase. However, spaces for potential future athletic fields are situated behind the school and would need separate approval in the future.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring, with occupancy by fall of 2022.