Outdoor Classroom Project
In late May of 2025, ORAS broke ground on a new addition to our site -- an outdoor classroom and storage building, which will include two restrooms, each with a shower. The project will include installation of some additional power pedestals as well. We would like to thank the McElhattan Foundation of Pittsburgh for its generous support!
Check out our progress in the photo's below. If you have questions or would like to help or provide additional support, please visit the ORAS Giving Page.
Check out our progress in the photo's below. If you have questions or would like to help or provide additional support, please visit the ORAS Giving Page.
Outdoor Classroom rendering by Jordan Spuck.
Digging the trench went much better than expected, because the ground was not nearly as rocky as anticipated.
The service lines will contain conduits for electric, fiber optics, water, and sewer service.
This photo shows the process of backfilling the trench.
This is the site of the future outdoor classroom building, before installing the footers and the pad.
We've added 20 feet to the "bridge" across the culvert into the west field. This will improve the access for larger trailers.
Excavating the location for the new outdoor classroom.
Concrete pad, french drains, and landscaping is now complete. Roof trusses have been delivered. Construction of the structure will begin soon! (July 10, 2025)
We are taking advantage of the wait time needed for the concrete pad to cure. We've removed the wall in the Jones Building, increasing the size of our indoor classroom space. This will increase our capacity from 30 people to 60+. This will allow us to significantly expand our programming.
This is a photo of the outdoor classroom from October 2025, looking more or less east. The back of the observatory building is visible to the rear.
This photo shows the outdoor classroom looking south, again from October 2025.
A garage door has since been installed on this building.
This is one of the two rest rooms/shower rooms in the new building.
We now have indoor plumbing within easy range of the observatory!