EDUCATION
Erie’s Grover Cleveland School renovations, additions ‘progressing nicely’
Dana MassingErie Times-News
July 29, 2026, 11:41 a.m. ET
Summer break is more than half over for Grover Cleveland Elementary School students but work on their building in southwest Erie still has a ways to go
Construction of additional classrooms and a gym began in May while interior renovations started in June at the school, 1540 W. 38th St
“There have been no unexpected delays and things are progressing nicely,” Neal Brokman, an assistant superintendent with the Erie School District, said July 28.
What is being done at Grover Cleveland?
The project price is currently a little more than $23 million, Brokman said. The Erie School Board approved bids for the work in February
The school, which was built in 1955, has a combined gymnasium and cafeteria. The additions will include a separate elementary school gym of about 8,000 square feet and like the one in the new Edison Elementary School
Four classrooms will add 2,800 square feet to the approximately 63,000-square-foot building. The new space will provide room for more students at the school, which housed 581 students in prekindergarten through fifth grade early this year
“The intention for the new rooms is to establish classrooms for our growing specialized student population,” Brokman said. “Those classrooms are typically capped at eight to 12 students, versus the traditional 25.”
Officials have previously said the new classrooms will help with the district’s anticipated increase in the need for special education programming such as autistic or life skills support
Grover Cleveland was previously renovated in 1993, with a smaller project completed in 2005
“This project is long overdue with no major renovations being completed for nearly three decades,” Brokman said. “It is also the last building in the district that does not have a working elevator. This will bring all of our buildings into compliance with ADA requirements.”
The current renovations will include gutting and overhauling all of the mechanical systems, such as electrical. Secondary to that will be new ceilings, floors and painting
Outside, a parent loop will be created for student drop off and pick up with access north of the school from West 36th Street
How long will it take?
Brokman said construction of the new gym and classrooms should be completed this December. However, students won’t be running laps or dribbling balls in the gym right away. The new space will first serve as temporary classrooms to house students during renovations to older portions of the school. Once work on all those interior spaces has been completed, “contractors will come back and make the gym look like a gym,” he said.
The entire project is scheduled to be completed by December of 2027, Brokman said
Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@gannett.com
