School Board approves study of All High Stadium press box
The Buffalo Board of Education on Wednesday evening unanimously approved a $14,200 architectural study that will look at possible alterations to the press box stairway at All High Stadium.
In addition, the board’s attorney said school officials will barricade the stairway while legal and administrative proceedings continue following the death of Tom Borrelli, a Buffalo News sports reporter.
Borrelli, 51, was paralyzed from the neck down after falling down the steep set of stairs while covering a high school football game Nov. 8. He died of his injuries less than two weeks later.
State labor investigators in January cited the school system for the hazardous condition of the steep metal stairs and gave school officials until July 18 to correct five “serious” safety violations.
The system has appealed the ruling and will keep the stairway barricaded until that appeal is heard Nov. 12, said Michael J. Looby, general counsel for the city schools.
He said the press box has not been used since shortly after the fatal accident.
The school system spent more than $6 million renovating All High Stadium in 2006 but eliminated a proposed elevator to the press box because of cost overruns.
Wednesday, the board hired Trautman Associates to make recommendations on alterations of the press box, including “access and egress,” as well as “sight lines, occupancy capacity, broadcast capabilities [and] scoreboard controls.”
Trautman’s report, due to be completed in December, is also to address “alternate or additional press box design and locations,” the resolution says.
In a separate proceeding, inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommended in April that The Buffalo News be fined $31,500, saying the newspaper should have prevented reporters from using the stairs until unsafe conditions were fixed.
Margaret M. Sullivan, editor of The News, called that decision “illogical,” saying, “The News’ role is to cover events, not to fix stairways.”
Looby said The News ultimately paid a reduced fine of nearly $16,000.
Borrelli’s family has filed a notice of claim against the school system but has not yet submitted a formal lawsuit, Looby said.
Three architectural and engineering firms were invited to bid on the study. Trautman was chosen over URS, which submitted a bid of $19,000. DiDonato Associates did not submit a proposal.
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