Finally, the renovations will begin at Mill Street Elementary
After four years of studying its facilities, Naperville Unit District 203 will officially break ground on its first major project - at Mill Street Elementary School - on Sept. 23.
Architects updated the school board Monday on several facilities projects including Mill Street, which is slated for a $7.3 million renovation and addition.
"There's a lot of excitement in that school because there's going to be quite a transformation," said Kevin Havens, director of design with Wight and Co. architectural firm.
Mill Street will get a new gymnasium, improved learning resource center and additional office and classroom space.
One of the latest details to be worked out is outside traffic flow, which has been a safety concern in the past.
After numerous meetings with parents and staff, the district plans to put its main drop-off area across from Technology Drive on the north side of the site. Cars will be directed in a loop that allows students to exit the vehicles without crossing traffic. Buses will have a separate drop off area on the southeast side of the school. Architects said this plan appears to be the safest and most efficient.
The work at Mill Street is part of $114.9 million in facility projects around the district. In February, voters approved a $43 million tax increase to help pay for the renovations.
The board also got a brief update Monday about work that will be done on Naperville North's pool. The final designs call for eight competition lanes and three shallow lanes. The pool will be able to be used for competitive swimming, water polo and physical education classes, and it will be handicapped-accessible. The locker rooms will also be revamped but the spectator area will not change.
Architects said the pool should be usable for at least the next 30 years.
North and Central high schools will also be getting synthetic turf on their football fields. Work will begin on North's field this fall and its football schedule has been adjusted accordingly. The field is scheduled to be complete in time for graduation in May.
Central will also be able to use its stadium for graduation. Work on the football field will then begin in the summer. Superintendent Alan Leis said the first couple of football games of the 2009 season may need to be played at another site.
The district is still working out the remaining details of its $87.7 million renovation to Central but Leis hopes to present those to the board by October.