Phase 1: Important Info- High School Performing Arts Center Project

Information Regarding Construction at Wilson High School

We will be officially broke ground on our new Performing Arts Center in January, 2024.

As we embark on this exciting journey, we want to inform you about the changes that will occur during the construction period.

Please be prepared for the following adjustments:

New Traffic Patterns: Expect new traffic flow around the construction site. All access to the High School's main parking lot and the Bulldog Field lot will be from Dwight Street only.

Temporary Entrances: A temporary entrance to the gym and auditorium will be in place during construction. Please see the diagram below for details.

Reduced Parking: The main parking lot will have limited spaces due to construction activities. To help you navigate these changes smoothly, the diagram also identifies the construction site (outlined in red) and the temporary entrances. Additional parking is available in the Bulldog lot.

Information Specific to Attending Events in the Wilson High School Gymnasium:

Parking Information:

- All vehicles must enter the main student parking lot off Dwight Street.
- Additional parking will be available off Dwight Street in the George Mack Stadium parking lot if needed.
- Spectators will not want to park along Grandview Blvd (because they will not be able to walk down the hill from Grandview Blvd to the new EVENT ENTRANCE)
  - - NOTE: the EVENT ENTRANCE sign that is posted along Grandview Blvd is NOT for Athletics!
    - Spectators should NOT park between the pool and Gurski Stadium.
    - Handicap parking will be located along the side of the UH Gym.

Entering Events:

- The new EVENT ENTRANCE will be at the red roll-up door on the backside of the UH Gym.
  - Again…please note that there is an EVENT ENTRANCE sign posted along Grandview Blvd…that is NOT for gymnasium events…that is for events taking place in the HS Auditorium in January-March.
- Upon entering...the doors on the left that lead to the locker room hallway will be closed. A game official will be at those doors to escort anyone needing the elevator.
- After paying for admission, spectators will proceed towards the gym floor and be directed up the stairwell on their right to the track level. A gate will be placed across the gym floor to prevent people from walking onto it. We will have a person stationed at the gate to provide direction.

Exiting Events:

- There will be 3 exit points – the 2 stairwells from the track level that lead to the student parking lot (signage will be posted next to each exit), and/or people can exit from the floor level and go out the way they came in.

Specifics Regarding Parking

We will lose approximately 70 spaces during the construction.
Overflow parking will be at Bulldog Field.
ONLY entrance to the lots will be from Dwight Street– NO Entrance from Grandview.
Handicap parking will be in front of the Lower House, the closest

to the Natatorium Entrance.

When do we expect the current High School addition/ renovation project to be completed?

We anticipate construction beginning in January, 2024 with the space being completed by Fall, 2025.

What is the cost of the High School addition/ renovation project?

Estimated project costs are $22.9 million

How will the District pay for the costs of these construction projects?

The District secured a General Obligation Bonds to finance the project.

How will the cost of these contruction projects impact my school taxes?

The District plans to maintain its current annual budgeted debt service payment with a short restructure of existing debt, and therefore, the additional financing will not impact the millage equivalent associated with the District's annual debt service.

How will this project at the High School address safety concerns that have been raised by the community?

As a District, we have received feedback from our community regarding safety concerns with students traveling outside between the Upper and Lower house buildings during the school day. The new addition that is proposed for the high school does not connect the two buildings, however, the design will allow for that to happen in the future, if deemed necessary. Additionally, the high school has added two, full-time security guards to monitor the safety and security of students and staff throughout the entirety of the school day.

What is the seating capacity of the proposed new auditorium?

The current design of the auditorium has a seating capacity of 1200.

What will happen to the spaces that will be relocated due to the new addition?

Our team will be working to develop plans to repurpose the spaces that will be relocated to the new addition. Details about those plans will be shared as they are finalized. There will be additional capacity at the High School as a result of this project.

How will the construction impact our students/ staff at the High School?

We will phase in our work to minimize disruption to the school day. We will also prioritize construction schedules to maximize those times when students/staff are not in the building-- such as the summer and evening hours. In addition, we will develop a plan to find alternate locations to house our music and theater events during construction. There will be a need to determine alternate entry points to our gym during the construction, and that information will be shared with our community.

When did the process begin?

We contracted with Crabtee and Rohrbach in Fall, 2018 for the feasibility study as a result of the need to address increasing enrollment, the desire to consider a new auditorium, an assessment of the safety and security of our buildings and possible upgrades to our athletic facilities.

How will decisions be made regarding the next steps in the process?

The School Board will continue to review and discuss all possible options. All final decisions will be voted on in public board meetings.

How can I get my questions answered/ express my opinions about the process?

You can ask us a question through our online Q&A form, which can be found here.

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