The cost of an East Allen County Schools renovations and additions project has increased to $48.4 million with the board's approval of the second phase of work.

The guaranteed maximum price of the Paul Harding Junior High School/East Allen University project won't be known until alternate bids are determined later this fall.

The schools share a campus in southeast Fort Wayne.

Costs are about $1 million higher than budgeted, but the scope has increased since leaders drafted the spending plan last year, Chief Financial Officer Pat McCann told the board last week. Renovations were initially expected to span 54,000 square feet.

"The current project includes 105,000 square feet, resulting in almost all rooms getting either a new coat of paint, new flooring, new lighting, new fire alarm and

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