Geigle Complex upgrades enter next phase at Reading High School

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Upgrades to the Geigle Complex at Reading High School are moving into the next phase of the multipart project, Reading School District officials said.
Last year, the district completed $3.8 million in renovations to the sports complex, updating the concourse and concessions areas.
The second phase will shift focus to spaces used daily by students and athletes, Wayne Gehris, district chief financial officer, said during the school board’s March committee of the whole meeting.
“We are now moving to the student center area, where we have the weight room, the fitness room, the locker rooms, team rooms, any of the shower-related and restroom areas,” he said.
The work is expected to significantly improve both functionality and the student experience in the complex, built in 1970 and named for George R. Geigle, a longtime educator, coach and athletic director in the district.
Bids for the phase two work total about $5.874 million, roughly $125,000 below the $6 million budget, Gehris said.
The lower bids are part of a trend reflecting stronger competition among contractors, he noted.
“We’re now seeing the fruits of our efforts bringing in more contractors to be more competitive in pricing,” he said.
That same competitive bidding environment has benefited other major projects across the district, Gehris said. Renovations to the high school auditorium, for example, totaled $5.2 million, $1.3 million below the budgeted $6.5 million.
Kitchen improvements
Gehris also outlined plans to modernize food service operations at the high school. A phased renovation of the cafeteria and kitchen aims to improve efficiency and student options.
“There’s a fresh salad area, there’s a deli section,” he said, describing the plans. “So (it will be) more of a college cafeteria setup than what it is currently.”
A second phase will reconfigure the kitchen to improve workflow and safety, addressing what Gehris described as inefficiencies in how food is stored and transported.
To keep the project on schedule, the district is seeking board approval to purchase key equipment early, avoiding delays tied to long manufacturing lead times.
Other improvements
Additional improvements discussed at the meeting include a new playground at 13th and Union Elementary School and a food service equipment package for Millmont Elementary, both part of the district’s broader facilities plan.
Gehris said coordinating multiple large-scale projects requires careful attention to scheduling, especially as labor shortages in certain trades, particularly electrical work, continue to affect timelines.
He also reviewed a series of routine change orders tied to ongoing projects. Several resulted in cost reductions as work nears completion, while others reflected necessary adjustments uncovered during construction, such as additional materials needed for the 13th and Union window and door project due to building deterioration.