SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP, Ohio — More than a year after a winter snowstorm caused the roof to collapse at Lakeside High School in Ashtabula, demolition has started on the vacant structure.
PHOTO GALLERY: Lakeside High School demolition
Around Thanksgiving 2024, a winter snowstorm blanketed the 17-year-old school with several feet of snow, and the roof collapsed under the weight.
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In April 2025, News 5's Clay LePard visited the school as engineers with the district recommended tearing down the entire academic wing and starting from the footers.
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RELATED: Engineers recommend tear down at Lakeside High School following roof collapse
The roof collapse wasn't the first issue the district had with the building.
Back in 2011, the school district sued the original builders, the now-defunct Blaze Construction, over poor workmanship and a roof that leaked almost immediately. That case settled with the district receiving about $3 million.
The roof collapse prompted Ashtabula Area City Schools to file a lawsuit against its insurance company.
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RELATED: Lawsuit filed by Ashtabula Area City Schools following roof collapse
Since the lawsuit was filed, the district has invested more than $120,000 in new programs for students, including an esports class and maker space with 3D printing capabilities. Hundreds of high school students have been using a former elementary school for classes since the collapse.
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RELATED: Displaced students get new esports program at Lakeside High School in Ashtabula
