There could soon be movement on the $123 million reconstruction of Springfield High School.
Businesses and homes on the north side of Monroe Street, from Parker Street to Lewis Street and on Washington Street near Lewis, are being prepared for demolition.
Meanwhile, the $93 million reconstruction of Lanphier High School will enter its final phase with the demolition of the Edison Wing in the coming weeks, which will allow for the construction of the school’s first-ever auditorium.
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Funding for both projects comes from the 1% sales tax increase that Sangamon County voters approved in November 2018, which provided District 186 with an average of $13 million per year.
Superintendent Jennifer Gill recently confirmed that contractors are conducting asbestos removal and inspections as well as removing some glass from buildings along Washington and Monroe.
The space on Washington will be used for parking, District 186 spokeswoman Rachel Dyas said, while the space on Monroe will be used for facilities and parking.
Another building on the southeast corner of Monroe and New streets will also be demolished, Dyas said.
Springfield High School has an outdoor practice facility further south on New Street.
The most dramatic change in the school plan will be the reorientation of the main student entrance to the Monroe Street side.
The reconstruction also includes new competition and practice schools, student common areas, classrooms and band rooms.
Project architects said in the fall they planned to restore some of the grandeur of the exterior, which had been tarnished by recent remodeling projects. They also claimed that the historic mosaic murals on campus would be preserved.
Gill said administrators met with Springfield High School staff for a few weeks to show them the construction phase.
One teacher, who also experienced construction at Lanphier, told other teachers it was “worth it,” Gill recalled.
The district will roll out information to Springfield High School families in the coming weeks about what to expect on things like parking, traffic patterns around the school and how students will navigate the hallways during construction in the fall.
Summer programming usually held at the school will be shifted to Southeast High School, Gill said.
The school’s reconstruction is expected to be completed in time for the 2026-2027 school year, Gill said.
At Lanphier, crews are putting the finishing touches on it.
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The demolition of the Edison Wing will clear the way for the auditorium and some additional classroom space for library services and visual arts programming, Gill said.
Officials are working on the Lamphier High School Hall of Fame, which will provide an access route between the common area and the new Lober-Nika Gymnasium that opened in January.
Meanwhile, at Southeast, a major renovation will begin this summer, including a new entrance to Spartan Stadium, a new track and upgrades to the facilities and field.
The district will provide a facilities update at a spring board meeting.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared in the State Journal-Register: Construction continues at three Springfield high schools
