Poll: Residents favor makeover for Naperville Central

Naperville Unit District 203 appears to be headed toward a referendum centered on major renovations to Naperville Central High School.

The school board reviewed the results of a survey Monday that showed little support for rebuilding the school. Architects also presented a newer, albeit costlier version of the large-scale renovation for the board to consider.

"If we honestly thought as a board that a new school was the right way to go, there would not be much hope of going down that road," Superintendent Alan Leis said. "(The right timing) might not be ever. It's certainly not now. So what I'm focusing on in terms of immediate decisions is ... how to come in with a recommendation around renovation."

He will bring his official recommendation to the board at its next meeting Nov. 19, but the board likely won't take a vote until a special meeting Dec. 3.

The district has been exploring three main options for districtwide facility improvements ranging from $22 million to $168 million. Central has been the main focus of most discussions as the building deemed to be the most deficient.

Three possible solutions are on the table for Central: a minor renovation for $6 million to $30 million, a major renovation for either $79 million or $84 million to $89 million, or a new building for $130 million to $140 million.

In a random telephone survey of 400 District 203 voters last month conducted by UNICOM-ARC, the district learned that residents favor renovations over rebuilding the school. Roughly 61 percent would support a tax increase for major renovations while 61.5 percent would support minor renovations. Only 31 percent said they would support rebuilding Central.

Major renovations were originally predicted to cost $72 million, but storm water issues and a delay in where the district originally expected to be with its plans now put the price at $79 million.

Architects have also added a second option for a major renovation that would cost about $84 million to $89 million. Compared to the original drawings, this latest configuration improves traffic flow within the building, consolidates athletics around the existing field house, and relocates the learning resource center. This price does not include a one-story parking deck that architects said the district might want to consider, which would cost an additional $6 million.

Mill Street Elementary is also poised for a renovation, but the board is now considering redrawing boundaries around the school to reduce enrollment by about 213 students and ultimately drop the cost to $7 million, down from $11 million. Instead of focusing on classroom space, improvements to the school would include expanding the library, more office space and an addition for a gymnasium and multipurpose room.

Dave Zager, assistant superintendent for finance, said the increased costs at Central would be somewhat offset by the savings at Mill Street Elementary and additional money that can be generated from future operating funds.

Therefore, if the board votes to pursue the $100 million districtwide option that includes a major renovation to Central, the total tax increase sought in the referendum would stay close to original projections at about $40 million to $43 million.

A $40 million take hike would cost the owner of a $331,000 home roughly $76 a year in additional property taxes for each of the next 20 years.

The referendum will likely take place during the Feb. 5 election.