Demolition of Lakeside High School academic wing begins

SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP – The demolition of the Lakeside High School academic wing has begun.
Work began Thursday, Feb. 19, with crews from ProQuality Demolition.
Back on Dec. 17, the Ashtabula Area City Schools Board of Education approved a bid from ProQuality Demolition to demolish the two-story academic wing at Lakeside High School in an amount not to exceed $409,000.
Ashtabula Area City Schools Superintendent Lisa McQuoid-Newsome said the work will continue over the next few weeks.
For some background, Lakeside High School suffered a roof collapse on Dec. 1, 2024, due to excessive snow load.
“Liberty Mutual, the insurer for the District, elected to remove the collapsed roof over the entire Academic Wing but failed to provide or fund adequate protection of the structure, once the roof was removed. As a result, the building remained exposed for months during inclement weather,” reads the resolution from Dec. 17. “Organic material from the attic insulation infiltrated the open-cell insulation within the Academic Wing’s block walls, as rainwater entered the structure. The continued moisture intrusion created conditions that promote mold growth and has introduced additional toxins into the wall assemblies. If the building were simply re-roofed and sealed, these contaminants would remain concealed and would migrate into occupied areas. These conditions make the building unsafe and uninhabitable for students and staff. Thus, necessitating the demolition of the entire Academic Wing.”
In a statement after the demolition began, McQuoid-Newsome gave an update to the community on the work, highlighting both the need for the work but also offering empathy for the emotions the demolition work may bring about.
“We understand that seeing demolition activity at Lakeside High School is emotional and raises questions. Standing there this morning and watching the walls go down was heartbreaking, and I was filled with sadness and anger thinking about our students,” McQuoid-Newsome said. “Lakeside High School is an important building in our community, and the decision to move forward with demolition of the academic wing was not made lightly.”
She shared that the reason for her statement and factual information is so the students, staff and the community can “work through this devastating situation together and not have to read false information on social media that just is not true. It is time to figure this out and work in a positive direction together.”
She explained that in late 2024, Lakeside High School experienced a significant structural roof collapse in the academic wing following a severe winter weather event. Following the roof collapse, licensed contractors removed portions of the roof at the direction of Liberty Mutual for assessment of the damage.
“Since that time, the District has worked with qualified professionals and appropriate officials to evaluate the building’s condition, safety risks and feasible paths forward. Based on those evaluations, the academic wing has remained unsafe for occupancy due to toxins contained in the wall cavities. Those professionals concluded that demolition was the only guaranteed measure to remediation of the toxins,” McQuoid-Newsome said. “The District’s responsibility is to protect students, staff, contractors, and the public. After extensive review and planning, the District has begun demolition activities as the safest and most responsible way to address the hazards and move toward a long-term solution.”
She said that demolition work will be conducted with safety controls in place, including restricted access, fencing and site management.
“We will continue coordinating with contractors and local partners to minimize disruption and keep our campus and surrounding areas safe,” McQuoid-Newsome said.
McQuoid-Newsome also highlighted that the District is actively pursuing recovery through the appropriate insurance and legal processes.
“Because those matters are ongoing, we cannot comment on details in a public forum. Our focus remains on safety, continuity of education, and responsible stewardship of District resources,” McQuoid-Newsome said. “We appreciate the community’s patience and support. We will continue to share updates through official District channels as major milestones occur. We will get through this and we are Lakeside Strong.”
On Monday, Nov. 3, Merlin Law Group, a leading national firm for policyholders in high-stakes property insurance cases, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Ashtabula Area City School District against Liberty Mutual Insurance Company “after the insurer refused to pay claims for repairs to Lakeside High School following the devastating roof collapse during a snowstorm on Dec. 1, 2024. Nearly one year later, 900 students and 100 staff members are still displaced, and the high school building remains structurally unsafe and unusable,” according to a previous press release.
The lawsuit alleges unfair claims practices by Liberty Mutual, “including the insurer’s refusal to take responsibility for early decisions, such as authorizing demolition of the classroom portion of the building. Liberty’s unilateral decision to demolish portions of the high school has caused additional damage to the school, leaving the building exposed to the elements for months and creating serious environmental concerns and further deterioration,” reads the press release.
“Additionally, Liberty Mutual’s experts have consistently downplayed the extent of structural damage, attributing the collapse to pre-existing infrastructure problems rather than the snowstorm, despite independent engineering assessments concluding otherwise. Liberty Mutual has refused to accept the district’s expert findings and correct its position,” the press release continues.