Mount Prospect green lights plan for new Lincoln Middle School
Mount Prospect village board members this week approved Mount Prospect Elementary District 57’s plans to build a new Lincoln Middle School.
The project, funded by an $85 million referendum approved by voters in November 2024, will replace the existing school with a 127,000-square-foot building.
“The village is, I think, in an era of renewal and new development, and this is going to be a beautiful new addition to our educational offering in Mount Prospect, and it’s something that we have needed for some time,” Mount Prospect Mayor Paul Hoefert said at Tuesday’s village board meeting.
The new school will be constructed around the existing Lincoln Middle School at 700 and 804 W. Lincoln St. before the old structure is demolished.
The school, which serves 783 students, was first built in 1953. It has since seen multiple additions, and a maintenance building was added in 1962.
Construction on the new building is scheduled to begin in October and be completed by May 2027. Demolition of the existing building will follow and is expected to finish by August 2027.
The existing school will operate while the new building is under construction.
Once demolition is complete, a track and field area will be built along the eastern perimeter of the site, Mount Prospect Community and Economic Development Director Jason Shallcross said.
He said the track will not be fenced in and will be available to the general public when school is not in session.
The new school will have a three-story academic wing, including the students core classrooms, a two-story administration area, a learning resource center, experience classrooms, a storm shelter, gym, cafetorium, maintenance and support areas and an outdoor learning and gathering space.
Shallcross said traffic circulation will be improved.
“Right now everything is kind of mixed together,” he said. “What’s proposed will really separate bus pick up and drop off from parent pick up and drop off and staff parking.”
As part of its approval, the village board waived fees, including for site construction and building permit, in the neighborhood of $985,000.
The total project cost is expected to be more than $77 million, according to an estimate provided by construction manager Nicholas & Associates Inc.