"This is a great day for the capital city," said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora upon Christie’s announcement. "This is going to be part of the city’s renaissance, and this will convince a lot more students to stay in school."

The 82-year-old building will be replaced due in large part to recently appointed School Development Authority head Charles McKenna, who formerly served as Christie’s chief counsel. McKenna conducted a site visit of the school, where students dodge leaks and crumbling plaster and are unable to drink the murky brown tap water, just one day after assuming his new role. After speaking with students and witnessing termite-eaten floorboards and mold-covered walls, McKenna issued a statement declaring “there will be no more delays in getting the facility into the best possible condition.”

Amidst a throng of parents, educators and other supporters, McKenna presented the Trenton School Board with a four-year, $130 million design and construction outline. Members quickly voted to move forward with further planning to a chorus of cheers. Those plans will likely balance both the school’s historic status and its need to offer a safe, modern learning environment for students.

McKenna, who at one time also served as a janitor for the New York City Public Schools, particularly referenced the building’s red brick façade, entryway, auditorium and iconic clock tower, saying these historic areas “truly define” the school and should be preserved for future students. Meanwhile, most everything else will likely be demolished and rebuilt to modern standards and health codes. The current proposal outlines the construction of new heating and cooling systems, classrooms, more than two dozen new science and computer labs, and a host of vocational and instructional areas. A spacious media center and gymnasium will also likely be added to replace the much smaller existing facilities. A second vote on the project itself will take place at the board’s Feb. 5 meeting.

The local school district has multiple times demanded extensive repairs to Trenton Central High School, and officials have written the school up for well over 100 health and safety violations. Despite roof repairs, patching, painting, asbestos remediation and other renovations made as recently as the summer of 2013, the school still requires millions in repairs and upgrades. Principal Hope Grant has even likened the structure to “a ticking time bomb.” The SDA had announced plans to continue this work over the next two years, but school staff insists these band-aid repairs are not enough.

The final hurdle in approval is a green light from the School Development Authority (SDA), which has tabled earlier construction requests. However, McKenna is confident an approval will follow shortly, and according to Kristen MacLean, a spokesperson for the SDA, things are now moving very quickly. Following the SDA approval, students and staff will likely be moved to swing spaces or neighboring schools before the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year. Demolition crews will follow shortly after.

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