$15 million addition for Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights

Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 will put a nearly $15 million addition onto Thomas Middle School that officials said could break ground this fall.

On Thursday the school board asked Superintendent Lori Bein to have detailed bid plans drawn up. It will be the third large addition to a District 25 school in the past few years as the district deals with increasing enrollment.

According to district documents, Thomas Middle School is 20,000 square feet smaller than South Middle School, but has 100 more students. The addition, estimated to cost $14.85 million, would include a new, larger gymnasium and converting the old gymnasium into a band room, music room and five more classrooms.

Other changes: the school entrance moves to the southeast side; the commons area is expanded and the parking lot is relocated to make room for the new gym, Bein said.

If the bid process and village approvals go smoothly, Bein said construction will start in October and be finished by August 2017.

This summer the district is finishing $18 million worth of work at Ivy Hill and Olive-Mary Stitt elementary schools. Bein said those projects, adding 10 classrooms to Ivy Hill and five to Olive along with other improvements, are on schedule and on budget.

“Everything is falling into place,” she said. “These are the two smoothest projects I've ever been a part of.”

Down the line there may also be plans to move the early childhood program from Greenbriar Elementary to the Dunton Administration Center and build an addition at Windsor Elementary School.

Westgate Elementary had originally been part of the discussion for a possible addition, but Bein said projections show an enrollment drop of 40 students for next year.

“It's not off the radar, but it does give us a little breathing room to take our time,” she said.

The projects under construction now, and the work planned at Thomas, are financed though bond sales.

“It's a big project, but it's what the community needs and it's what our students and teachers need,” Bein said of all the projects going on or in the works at District 25.

“It's a great solution for our current needs and the long-term. What a wonderful problem to have that more people want to move into the Arlington Heights community.”