Teachers and staff pose for a picture after dismissal on the last day of school at Evans City Elementary/Middle School in June 2022. Demolition of the school is set for next year. Butler Eagle File Photo

The demolition of the former Evans City Elementary/Middle School is set for next year.

Seneca Valley School District announced it is beginning preparations for the demolition in a news release Nov. 19.

Cost was a main factor in the decision to move forward with demolition.

“Safety is our top priority as we move forward with this project,” said Randy Miller, director of buildings and grounds, said in the news release. “Due to the ongoing costs of maintaining the building, we’ve determined that keeping it is no longer feasible.”

The 138,000-square-foot school building, previously used for 84 years, has been vacant since it closed in June 2022 with the opening of Ehrman Crest Elementary/Middle School.

The district plans on keeping the property available “for potential future development,” with student enrollment projected to continue growing.

The district also said adjacent sports fields will be unaffected and will continue to be open to the public.

District crews have spent the past two years clearing remaining items from the building. An asbestos abatement team will begin a four-to-six-week abatement process starting later this month. The district said crews will monitor air quality and work to minimize disruptions, particularly for nearby residents and travelers along Route 68.

The district also said it will partner with the Seneca Valley Foundation to offer bricks from the building as keepsakes, “for those wishing to preserve a piece of history while supporting the SVF.”

“It's a bittersweet moment for Evans City and the district as a whole,” Sean McCarty, assistant superintendent for K-6 instruction, told the Butler Eagle. “This building reminds us of the thousands of lives it positively impacted and the enduring legacy they leave within the Seneca Valley School District. We’re grateful for the role Evans City played in the establishment of the District.”

The school has had a handful of brief uses since it closed. The building was last used for a week in January to hold classes on active shooter situations. Over a dozen law enforcement personnel took a four-day course administered by Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training at the building.