$11.6 million expansion approved for Wichita North High School

One of Wichita’s oldest high schools will get an $11.6 million expansion and facelift after school board members voted unanimously Monday to approve a bond issue project for North High School.

“We’ll get abused for doing this and people will say, ‘Do these kids really deserve it? Why are we spending money here?’” said board member Lynn Rogers.

“People need to realize this is one of the largest high schools in the state, and there are tremendous things going on here. … So I’m very proud that we’re doing this.”

The board approved an $11.6 million contract with National Contractors Inc. for the project. It was designed by Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey Architecture.

The 58,000-square-foot addition to North High will include a new main gym, a swimming pool, a wrestling room and new locker rooms. The wrestling room and locker rooms will serve as a storm shelter.

North High was built in 1929. Construction on the new addition will begin in December and is scheduled to be complete by August 2013.

As part of the project, the school district is moving to condemn 10 tracts of land near North High. The district has paid nearly $1.7 million for 21 other properties that sit just north of the school, near 15th Street and Arkansas.

Plans for new outdoor athletic facilities at North call for a football field, track, practice soccer field, two ball diamonds and tennis courts. Those items are not included in the contract approved Monday.

Board members said the project is necessary for North students and the community because physical education and athletics are crucial.

“Every time we go through budget cuts, the first things brought up are athletics and the arts,” said board member Connie Dietz.

“One of the reasons we inserted money for both athletics and the arts in the last bond issue is because we understand the value of those areas.”

In other business Monday, the board voted to pay $32,000 for a piece of property just north of the former Dillons grocery store at 13th and Waco.

About a year ago, the district paid $2 million for the former Dillons building and most of its parking lot. Officials have said they are considering several possible uses for the property, including additional parking for North High, but no decision has been made yet.

This story was originally published November 28, 2011 at 5:00 AM with the headline "$11.6 million expansion approved for Wichita North High School."