The next step in the process of securing the front entrance to S.S. Palmer Elementary School in Palmerton has been checked off the list.

On Tuesday, Palmerton Area School District’s board of directors approved a notice for Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates to proceed with the final design and bidding for the renovation project.

In a slideshow presented to the school board, Jeff Straub, of Crabtree, estimated the entire Palmer vestibule project would cost $1.45 million.

The biggest highlight of the project would be Palmer’s office suite moving down a floor from its current location on the second level, and removing the large existing staircase that greets visitors upon entry to the building.

“We would be creating a secure vestibule upon entry, with the office suite to the left of the vestibule and a security office to the right,” Straub said.

Two classrooms on the bottom floor would be lost to create the new office suite, but they would be replaced elsewhere in the building in what the district called a “size appropriate” manner.

Principal Mary Brumbach, for example, said the reading instruction space that would be lost did not need to be replaced at the same size, because only six people at a time usually meet in a small group setting.

“We didn’t need to put a full-size classroom back in for that,” Brumbach said. “We are sizing the reading space more appropriately to make better use of the space.”

Brumbach said Crabtree and the McClure Company have been working closely with Palmer’s administration and are confident they’ll come up with the best design for the school.

The general construction would be a routine bidding process, while the mechanical, electrical and plumbing work is planned under an energy savings contract.

Straub also presented the district with an option to upgrade the Palmer library with furniture, carpet and a fresh paint job at an estimated $134,760.

“If the projects proceed as planned, we’re hoping to bid the vestibule portion of it in March and award that contract in April,” he said.

The intent, he added, would be to start the project in June and have it wrapped up by September. Straub admitted the timeline is, “quite aggressive” for the amount of work needing to be done.

“God bless you,” director Barry Scherer told Straub regarding the timeline. “That’s a heck of a set of steps in there.”

Palmerton’s engineering firm of record, Keystone Consulting Engineers, also presented the district with plans to add a handicap accessible ramp leading up to the front entrance.