UNIONVILLE, PA — The Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board is expected to vote next week on a proposed $164 million replacement for Charles F. Patton Middle School, according to Chadds Ford Live, advancing one of the district’s largest capital projects toward a decision that could shape future borrowing and facilities spending.
The proposed budget was presented during the board’s Nov. 9 work session by Michael Bell of Breslin Architects and Doug Palen, construction manager for ICS Consulting. The project could yield an additional $5 million in savings through bid alternatives and value-engineering measures still under development.
The replacement school would be a two-story building encompassing approximately 206,000 square feet. Construction would proceed in phases, beginning with new tennis courts and baseball and softball fields before work starts on the school building.
The pending vote represents a significant step in a project the board approved in concept in 2025, when directors decided to replace the existing middle school. The district subsequently selected Breslin Architects and ICS Consulting to advance the planning and design work.
The $164 million proposal also brings the project’s financing into sharper focus. Earlier district financing materials contemplated approximately $120 million in debt proceeds for the replacement school, compared with the substantially larger construction budget now under consideration.
The difference between those figures is significant for a district weighing long-term capital investments, borrowing requirements and potential property tax implications.
The district’s existing project information identifies summer 2031 as the anticipated start of construction.
In addition to the middle school proposal, directors are expected to consider several other facilities expenditures during next week’s meeting.
One proposal would authorize $27,941 to replace two rooftop compressors at the existing Patton Middle School. District Facilities Director James Whitesell identified the work as part of the district’s Long Range Facilities Plan.
Another proposal involves a preliminary evaluation and assessment of the wastewater treatment plant and on-lot disposal system at Hillendale Elementary School.
The assessment would also be financed through the Long Range Facilities Plan. Chadds Ford Live reported the proposed cost as “$10,8000,” a figure whose intended amount is unclear.
Directors are also expected to consider approximately $38,050 in kitchen equipment replacements across three elementary schools.
The equipment includes refrigeration units and ice machines that are more than 20 years old and have become nonfunctional or cannot be repaired.
The proposed expenditure would cover delivery, unpacking, installation, final connections and removal of the existing equipment.
Pricing would follow Pennsylvania’s COSTARS cooperative purchasing contract, with funding allocated through the district’s Long Range Facilities Plan under its kitchen equipment replacement program.
The upcoming votes would advance both the district’s long-term middle school replacement initiative and shorter-term maintenance projects at existing facilities.
For additional details on the proposed middle school project and facilities expenditures, read the full Chadds Ford Live report at https://chaddsfordlive.com/2026/11/ucf-to-vote-on-middle-school-project/
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.