Harrison Elementary could be renovated and an addition built under new facilities plan

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids school board is considering renovating and building an addition to Harrison Elementary School and decommissioning Madison Elementary School as the next step in a facility master plan.

The recommendation was presented to the board Monday. A focus group voted 7-4 in a confidential vote to remodel Harrison and build an addition, said Chris Gates, Cedar Rapids schools building and grounds manager. The decision was based on an assessment of both schools from Legat Architects, an architecture firm in Iowa City.

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Harrison and Madison elementary school attendance zones will be combined by fall 2025.

This would be the fourth new elementary school built under a 2018 facilities master plan that calls for 10 new elementary schools and three renovated ones over the next 15 to 20 years. This process includes the closure and repurposing of eight schools.

New elementary schools are expected to decrease operational costs for the district and address uneven distribution of resources. The work has been funded by SAVE — Secure an Advanced Vision for Education — an existing statewide sales tax allocated to school districts based on certified enrollment.

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The other option under consideration for the fourth new elementary school is to build a school on the site of Madison Elementary School, 1341 Woodside Dr. NW, and demolishing the existing building.

The cost to renovate and build an addition at Harrison Elementary, 1310 11th St. NW, is an estimated $29.9 million. Building a new school on the site of Madison is estimated to cost $28.4 million.

Construction could start as early as March 2024.

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Robin Randall, Legat Architects’ director of learning, said that “compromises” will need to be made if the school board moves forward with renovating Harrison instead of building a new building. For example, the classrooms will be smaller than they would be in a new build.

The cost estimate includes upgrades to Harrison Elementary’s foundation, walls, roof and historic windows — which could be preserved.

However, there are opportunities for creativity, Randall said. A gym likely would be a part of the new build at Harrison and the current gym could be converted.

Each new elementary school will serve 500 to 600 students. The district’s elementary schools now vary in size from 200 to 500 students, creating an inequitable distribution of resources.

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Under the facilities master plan, a new school is currently under construction across the street from Arthur Elementary School, 2630 B. Ave. NE, and will open by the fall of 2024. Both the old Arthur building and Garfield Elementary, 1201 Maplewood Dr. NE, will be closed and the attendance zones combined.

West Willow Elementary School was the first new school to be opened under the current facilities master plan in fall 2021. It replaced Coolidge Elementary School. Maple Grove Elementary opened in fall 2022 and replaced Jackson Elementary School.

School board member Dexter Merschbrock questioned why there was no consideration to renovate other existing buildings such as Coolidge and Jackson, which were demolished.

“I think this process with the facility task force has run its course,” Merschbrock said. “Look at the number of votes to make this decision. I can’t imagine any world where those 11 people are representative of the community.”

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