District Community Relations Director Paula Foreman welcomed attendants and reflected on the project process in her opening remarks.

“Today’s ceremony is the culmination of more than four years of planning and construction,” Foreman said. “What made this project even more challenging was the construction during the pandemic, the temporary shutdown of the project, the gradual return of the construction team with newly imposed COVID requirements and the supply chain challenges, which caused interruption of the availability and delivery of materials.”

Construction for the B building began in 2018, and it was opened to students in October 2020. Amenities include a performing arts auditorium, visual arts studios and science labs. The project also included renovations to the high school’s A building, which got new physical education spaces and a library and renovations to administrative offices and classrooms.

Foreman saluted the “huge team” of project contractors and subcontractors for seeing it through to completion.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Michael Kelly of KCBA Architects (right) presents the key to the building to Altoona Area School District Superintendent Charles Prijatelj.

KCBA Architects Principal of Project Development Michael Kelly said the new facilities are a “tremendous opportunity for 21st-century education.

“We are very proud to be a very small part of this project,” Kelly said of his company. “I want to thank all of the students and teachers we met throughout this process. They really helped develop a lot of the ideas and spaces you’re seeing today. It was just a tremendous honor to be a part of that.”

Superintendent Charles Prijatelj also addressed the community Monday, thanking it “from the bottom of my heart” for its support.

“The impact on the community, the impact on your children, your grandchildren, will be felt for decades,” Prijatelj said.

Notable guests in attendance included Mayor Matt Pacifico, AAHS Class President Jack Hatch and various current and former Altoona Area School Board members.

Mirror Staff Writer Andrew Mollenauer is at 814-946-7428.