ELYRIA — The Ohio School Facilities Commission wants to give Elyria more money to build five new schools and district officials said it will be up to citizens to decide if they want the money.

The state agency, which helps school districts fund, plan, design and build or renovate schools, announced last week it had approved almost $38 million in state funding for Elyria Schools if the district could get residents to pass a bond issue worth upward of $50 million.

The total projected construction cost would be more than $88 million and would cover a massive project that includes the building of five new elementary school buildings for grades pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

The project also calls for the demolition of Crestwood, Ely, Franklin, Hamilton, McKinley, Oakwood, Prospect and Roosevelt schools.

Under the proposed plan, Windsor Elementary, which opened in 1963, will remain and will continue to operate as a school.

“We have not kept it a secret that we have kept the district’s name on the list for additional funds,” said Amy Higgins, district spokeswoman. “It’s our fiduciary responsibility to offer this to the residents to see if they feel there is a need to replace elementary buildings in the districts. When the OSFC approved state funding for Elyria High, it was for roughly 37 percent of the total project budget. They are offering more money this time — about 42 percent.”

The districts must acquire its local share of the project budget within one year in order for the state funding to be released, according to a press release from the OSFC.

Higgins said the next step is to do a community survey to gauge the pulse of the community. Both an online and phone poll will be used to determine if the district should try for another bond issue. Burges and Burges, a political consulting firm from Cleveland, will handle the survey.

Superintendent Paul Rigda said the district has a little over a year to pass a bond issue. The earliest the issue could appear on the ballot is November.

“If the community is interested in it, we will spend August gearing up and September and October getting as much information out there that we can,” Rigda said. “If the survey says no overwhelmingly, then the district will put it off to next year. But I think we have to eventually try. When this much money comes along, you can’t just treat it like you don’t want it.”

Rigda said there are voters that would say the recession is a reason to reject the money, but because of the recession the district could get lower interest bonds and actually save money.

“It’s a good time even though it would seem like an odd time because a recession is going on,” he said.

OSFC Executive Director Richard M. Hickman said the state funding is critical to addressing the facility needs within the district and will help provide buildings that are student-centered learning environments.

If the district can secure the local funds, it will be the second time in less than five years voters have said yes to new money for schools.

In May 2007, voters approved a bond issue to build the new high school at a price tag of $70 million. The high school’s budget included $45 million in local funds and $25 million in state funding through the OSFC. Philanthropic and private donations garnered the district another $1.2 million it used to build upgrades like the WiFi Cafe and Senior Rathskellar Lounge and purchase digital musical instruments.

The buildings that are targeted for demolition are rich in Elyria history. The oldest building is Hamilton, which was built in 1900. The district hasn’t used it since 1979 when it was closed, but currently it is the home of a Head Start program on the city’s south side.

McKinley, located at 620 East River St., was built in 1907 and is the oldest elementary school still in use in the city.

Roosevelt, which was closed in 2009 at the same time the district closed Erie Elementary due to enrollment decline, was built in 1922. It originally housed grades three through eight.

Ely was built in 1923. It sits on land donated by William Arthur Ely, the grandson of Heman Ely.

Crestwood, Franklin, Oakwood and Prospect all were built in the 1950s after voters in 1948 passed a bond issue for $3.7 million and a 5-mill renewal levy to build schools. Seven new schools and six additions were built in the 1950s.

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.