Photos Provided Members of the planning committee are fine-tuning designs for a new state-funded multipurpose facility coming to Bridgeport Exempted Village School District. The school district is also exploring more funding sources to enhance the project. SHP interior designer Olive Guess talks about some of the plans and Senior Project Manager Andy Lowther with Beaver Constructors, seated, reviews information on a laptop. Pictured from left are SHP Project manager and designer Ivan Vukcevich, Bridgeport Superintendent Brent Ripley, Technology Director Lisa Clark, Curriculum Director Leslie Kosanovic, school board member Ryan Keiter and Treasurer Eric Meininger.

BRIDGEPORT — Plans are being fine-tuned for a multipurpose facility to be designated “the Bridge” and constructed on Bridgeport Exempted Village School District campus by 2026. Meanwhile the district has not been resting on its laurels after securing $13 million in state funding for a 28,500-square-foot expansion to serve the surrounding area’s health, training and community needs.

During the board of education meeting Feb. 19, Superintendent Brent Ripley said more funding for the project could be in play. The district is seeking additional money through the Appalachian Regional Commission to enhance adult workforce training that will be offered at the Bridge. Following three public meetings, the district has submitted a grant application for $500,000 and Ripley is very positive about its reception. Bridgeport schools should know the results by March or April.

Ripley said in the upcoming weeks, officials will be submitting applications for a middle school literacy grant, funding for telemedicine, and a distance learning grant that could total $1 million all together if approved.

“We’re going after every bit of money we can so that none of the burden falls on the taxpayers for the Bridge,” he said.

Since announcing the project, the district has held planning sessions and invited stakeholders in different fields. During a design meeting earlier that day, Ripley said it was imperative to address all suggestions while in the planning stage. The participants could see their ideas being incorporated in real time in the proposed blueprints.

“It keeps coming more and more to life with all these details,” Ripley said.

Project manager and designer Ivan Vukcevich with the SHP interdisciplinary design group said the design firm was experienced in working with schools, and now they are going more in-depth and detailing the interior utilities.

“They’re going great,” he said. “We’re where we want to be. We’ve got the right team.”

Administrators and stakeholders were joined by Senior Interior Designer Katy Goettl and Interior Designer Olive Guess with SHP. They offered different options to incorporate suggestions from the school district and wider community stakeholders into the interior aesthetic.

They are following the principle of making the most of the available space by designing multiple uses for the same areas. Goettl said one of their tasks in working with the different partners is to make sure people using the facility can be easily directed to the areas they are looking for.

Guess praised the teamwork on display.

“Everybody has come to all of our design meetings with a lot of excitement for the new space. I think everybody wants to make the space as useful as possible in every way, shape and form. All the partners have been really great.”

Senior Project Manager Andy Lowther with Beaver Constructors was impressed by the cooperation among many different members of the community.

“It’s going well. It’s collaborative. You get all the stakeholders in one setting, all the way from high school students to the faculty and staff and the outside occupants that are going to be in there,” he said. “It mitigates surprises when you do it that way.”

They heard from Cole Smelley, a Bridgeport graduate who plans to open gym facilities in the Bridge. Talk turned to how the equipment might be placed and where to best locate the gym in relation to other areas. He looks forward to seeing the Bridge completed.

“It’s amazing. I think the architects and the interior designers are doing an amazing job of taking our ideas and bringing them to life. Every meeting I feel like has been very productive, and the next time I come in it seems like our ideas are coming more and more to fruition. I think it’s great for the community, great for the kids. So many great opportunities are going to come from this project. I’m just happy there’s a good team bouncing ideas and getting it done.”

Smelley put forward a list of workout equipment and spoke about what people would want and need in a space devoted to fitness.

“You want it to be welcoming, so the space and the setup is super important. You want people to walk in and feel that this is a gym you want to be at, that you feel comfortable in. You want everything properly spaced and it is really important to have the architects and interior designers to work on those things.”

The administrators are also seeking input from students. Freshman Connor Nelson said they are finding inventive solutions for placing a gym in relation to space for day care and medical services.

“They’ve been really creative with the setup of everything,” he said. “They’ve going to be able to set that up and have it be sound.”

Nelson, who is part of the district’s College Credit Plus program, which enables students to earn college credits while still in high school, said students have been putting forward more ideas. They have suggested that some educational areas should have the same design as the school interior, but other training areas might simulate a workplace environment.

“We wanted to make it look like a real-life situation when you’re working in a lab,” he said. “We want to make it accessible.”

During future meetings, the planning committee will decide on the exterior color for the Bridge.

Construction on the Bridge must be completed by the end of 2026.

Information including community suggestions and responses can be found on the district website, bridgeportschools.net/. More information will be released on the district app. Anyone with questions can call the district office at 740-635-1713 or email brent.ripley@bridgeportschools.net.