By Carla Howie
Trying to keep up with the times can be costly. Ask that of any Zionsville Community School Board of Trustees member.
In 1968 when the core of the school was built, 63 students graduated. In 2012, 467 students graduated. When enrollment grows, it stands to reason the building may need to grow with it; especially when they’re an A grade school and the physical environment to learn therein can be a key factor.
Projected future enrollment through 2023 from the Indiana Business Research Center indicate the high school will reach 2,500 students. Currently, the high school is 89% of capacity and by 2017, it should reach the projected capacity of 2,100 students.
With the proposed renovation, the high school will be able to reach the 2023 projection and accommodate growth beyond.
Repurpose, relocate and reuse is the master design. A motion to approve the renewable resolution for a moratorium on new debt for school construction was unanimous amongst the board of trustees at the board meeting on Nov. 11.
With judicious use of the 2005 bond series, the master plan of repurposing what is there for another designated use, relocating functions or classrooms to other areas on site and reusing available space is key to ensure the trustee’s intent to avoid new debt for construction.
According to Bill Payne, executive director of Fanny and Howey, the architectural firm who presented the diagrams and renderings of the finished project, indicated the band, vocal and orchestra program will relocate to the auxiliary gym. A student activity center will be built outside the varsity gym. This 2 story center will be multifunctional; serving as instructional, athletic and rental space. Partitioned rooms can be created to accommodate smaller groups, if required.
The weight room will move to the new activity center on the second floor and the space currently being used for advanced physical conditioning would be repurposed for instructional use. The ancillary space surrounding the new construction will include restrooms, additional instructional spaces and a satellite cafeteria/educational space. Payne explained the design has streamlined the available square footage without eliminating the functionality of use. The construction project will also keep the same building aesthetics.
To accommodate the increase in parking, the current tennis courts will be removed and repurposed for 160 new parking spaces. The existing football locker room and auxiliary outdoor activity space will remain.
The board of trustees have done their due diligence to protect the tax payers; the hope now will be that neither state nor federal mandates be imposed and any natural disasters or other unforeseen disasters occur beyond the trustee’s control.
To view the renderings and diagram; go to: http://cms.zcs.k12.in.us
