The Mt. Lebanon school board voted Monday night to reject the bids received last week for its planned $113.2 million high school renovation project.

The bids for the project came in $15.3 million, or 16.5 percent, above the district's cost estimates.

"We are extremely dissatisfied with the outcome of the bids," said board president Josephine Posti.

The vote to reject the bids was 8-0. School director Susan Rose was not present.

Board members were frustrated and somber as they questioned representatives from their architecture firm Celli-Flynn Brennan and their construction manager P.J. Dick about why the bids had come in so high.

Neither professional could give a precise explanation for the bid results, and said the process of analyzing the variance between the estimates and the bids was ongoing.

The board will hear more detailed analysis on the bids from Celli-Flynn Brennan and P.J. Dick at the May 2 school board meeting, Mrs. Posti said, and will discuss next steps to take and a timeline for opening new bids.

A groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Thursday has been postponed.

More details in Thursday's South Xtra.