information from Highline Public Schools
When Highline voters passed a school bond in November 2016, the plan called for “preserving as much of the Highline High School facade as structurally and financially feasible,” as recommended by the citizen-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC).
The stability of the north wall and the capability of the soil to support it were not known at the time of bond passage. Bond funds paid for a full evaluation. Now, after evaluating the brick wall and soil conditions, the technical team -- architect, structural engineer, cost consultants, project manager, and Highline capital facilities staff -- has concluded that the north wall is not stable enough to be safely shored up. The team determined the wall is at high risk of failing even if it is reinforced, which would cost up to $15 million dollars.
“Prudent use of our tax dollars indicates that the best way to proceed is to take the north wall down and build a wall that reflects and respects the historic look of Highline High School. This is the best use of our bond tax dollars as we move forward to build a modern learning center that will be very safe for our kids,” said CFAC Co-chair Rose Clark.
The dollars for preserving the wall would have to be diverted from construction of other parts of the school or from one of the other bond projects -- design of Tyee, Evergreen or Pacific; roofing and other critical needs; safety and security upgrades; or one of the other new schools.
“The safety of our students and staff and the stewardship of tax dollars are our top priorities. This is our commitment to our community,” said Highline Chief Operations Officer Scott Logan. “We remain committed to honoring the historic look of HHS.”
Bassetti Architects was selected for the HHS project for the firm’s experience in rebuilding historic schools. The Highline project team will work with Bassetti to reflect Highline’s history and to incorporate salvaged materials into the new school. Bassetti’s portfolio includes Tacoma’s Stadium High School; Franklin High School and Roosevelt High School in Seattle, and UW’s Mary Gates Hall, as well as Camp Waskowitz.
The next community meeting for the HHS project is Thursday, October 19, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. in the HHS cafeteria. Architects and project staff will answer questions and receive community feedback.
