SALISBURY — The Rowan-Salisbury Schools Board of Education has signed off on an expensive project at Salisbury High School that will overhaul all the windows on the school’s historic main building.

The board approved contracting with Carolina Classic Window and Glass for $1.8 million to replace every window, some of which are original to the school. The project will include the large cathedral-style windows on the school’s side wings.

The item was brought back for discussion from the board’s previous meeting after the board requested more information on the project centering on the state of the windows and the cost. The project will be paid for entirely through federal COVID-19 relief money.

RSS Chief Operations Officer Anthony Vann said district staff evaluated the building envelops on several schools and Salisbury High had the highest need because many of the windows are not working properly and there are safety concerns involving windows as well.

“I’d say the vast majority of them are in poor condition,” Vann said.

Board member Travis Allen said he thinks the project has to be completed for school safety and he is thankful the district has federal relief money that can be devoted to the project, because he believes it would be impossible otherwise.

“I hate looking at that price tag, but just recently doing a construction process myself, I can honestly see where a lot of the expense comes,” Allen said.

Allen pointed out Salisbury High’s multi-level design is unique and the prospect of windows falling from their frames poses a safety issue.

“I hate spending that amount of money on it, but it just has to be done,” Allen said, adding the project will not get any cheaper and the district has encountered trouble trying to secure funding for projects like roof replacements before.

Allen made the motion to approve the project and it passed unanimously. RSS Chief Operations Officer Anthony Vann told the Post the project will start almost immediately, and work could start this week. The project is expected to take about 245 days to complete.

The district expects to save at least 10% on energy costs after the replacement is finished.

The board also approved finalizing the design of security fencing at the school and sending the project to bid. The cost estimate for 920 feet of fencing is $552,900, but the district will not have a firm cost number until it receives bids. The project would leave the parking areas open but complete the enclosure of the rest of the campus and add a security fence on the street leading to the school’s football stadium.