By Jennifer Edwards and Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HYDE PARK - The main building at Summit Country Day School will not reopen for months because of all the demolition work or new construction that needs to be done to save it, a city building official said Tuesday.

School officials have not made any announcement about when the prestigious private Catholic school will reopen after the collapse of a section in the rear of the main building Sunday.

SUMMIT C.D. HOTLINES

Summit Country Day School officials said parents should check the school's Web site for updates on the school collapse and should call an athletic hotline (513-272-6550) for updates on sporting events.

"We're not ready to make any comment as it relates to that,'' said board of trustees chairman Mark Bodnar.

Bill Langevin, director of the city's buildings and inspection department, said construction crews have a very small space in which to do the demolition and reconstruction.

"It will be months before that main building will be able to be occupied because of the amount of work that has to be done and any reconstruction that should occur,'' he said.

A buckled fourth floor and roof remain suspended after the floors beneath it collapsed Sunday. That section held classrooms, language and computer labs and part of the library. The main building also houses the high school.

No one was hurt when the floors toppled because the 1,100-student Hyde Park school was closed. The collapse forced officials to shutter the 114-year-old school this week. They are looking at alternative locations to hold classes.

The damaged section either has to be removed, along with the roof, or stabilized, Langevin said.

"They have a tremendous job ahead of them in terms of removing construction that is unsafe and unstable on the fourth floor, removal of all the debris caused by the collapse, as well as the stabilization or removal of the remaining exterior walls in the area that collapsed," Langevin said.

About 250 school officials, faculty and staff met at the Hyde Park Golf & Country Club in a closed meeting Tuesday to discuss alternative school spaces.

School officials plan to hire someone to assess the safety of the remainder of the collapsed building, as well other sections of the school, said Summit spokeswoman Jennifer Pierson.

Sporting events will be held at Summit's athletic complex off Interstate 71 in Columbia Township. Coaches will contact athletes regarding games and practices.

But few decisions have been made about the possible relocation.

"The safety of our students and our faculty and staff is of utmost concern," Pierson said. "We are going to be taking our time and looking at things thoroughly and methodically and making sure that we are positive that things are safe before we let any students back on that campus or faculty or staff."

The damaged portion of the school is adjacent to an $11 million construction project for a new Lower School for Montessori and elementary students.

In a preliminary assessment Monday, Langevin said excavation for the project was too deep and too close to the existing foundation. Bad weather and a previously undetected foundation flaw likely contributed to the collapse, he said.

On Tuesday, he said the collapse occurred when the foundation wall under the section that fell shifted, causing the masonry above to collapse.

Summit had all the necessary work permits required by the city, and a city inspector had visited the school about once a week throughout the construction project of the new Lower School, most recently on Jan. 14, he said. The inspector did not report any problems.

The school also had its own engineers on site to supervise the foundation and excavation work, which also is required by the city, he said. The city relied on those engineers to report any problems and none was reported, Langevin added.

Utilities have been restored to most of the main building, but not in the area that collapsed, he said, adding the main building is sound because it was structurally independent of the collapsed portion.

Summit officials offered little new information for parents Tuesday, but several said they have confidence in the school's decision-makers.

Auto dealer Jeff Wyler, whose son is a senior at Summit, said he doesn't expect the school building to reopen this year, but he wouldn't hesitate to send his son there if school officials deemed it safe.

"I have a great deal of respect for the board and the administration," he said. "They would never put a child in harm's way."

Other parents reported that an informal information network has emerged among families via e-mail and the telephone. For instance, a party for the fourth-grade class (about 80 students) that originally wasn't going to be held for a few more weeks has been rescheduled to Friday at a skating rink, said Brent Gambill of Anderson Township. His two daughters, who are 7 and 10, attend Summit.

"I am sure they will have a fun time," he said. "They were going to have a party anyway. This seems like a good time to do it while the kids are off. I am sure they miss each other."

Tanya FitzGerald, a Wyoming resident whose 14-year-old daughter attends Summit, said she trusts the judgment of the board of trustees, and she is impressed with their ability to disseminate information despite the circumstances.

"They are doing the best they can in the situation they are in," she said.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com and jedwards@enquirer.com