Field houses, fine arts additions proposed under next Iowa City school district facility plan

IOWA CITY — The Iowa City Community School District is considering investing $104.6 million — already allocated for facility upgrades — into the next round of projects, including field houses and fine arts additions at the high schools, improvements to athletic fields, performance spaces, outdoor classrooms and playgrounds and other projects with community partners.

The Iowa City school board Tuesday heard an overview of the proposed projects that will be brought back for a vote at the next meeting, which will begin at 6 p.m. on June 10, at the district’s administration building, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City.

The proposed facility plan is a continuation of the district’s facility plan 2.0, initially approved by the school board in April 2022 with a budget of $270.7 million.

There is about $114.7 million left of the plan being funded by Secure an Advanced Vision for Education, a capital projects fund funded by statewide sales taxes allocated to school districts based on certified enrollment.

What are the projects?

The five-year facility plan includes the addition of field houses — indoor sports and recreational facilities — at West and Liberty high schools for $12 million each. The addition of a field house at City High School is estimated to be $13.5 million.

Superintendent Matt Degner said “competitor districts” have these kinds of facilities and they are what students and families “are expecting.”

Investments into the high schools’ soccer fields, stadium lights and turf fields also would be made under the proposed plan.

Funding also would be allocated for upgrades to high school performance arts spaces. City and Liberty high schools would see $5 million fine arts additions.

West High would get a $5.5 million investment in its auditorium and stage. The little theaters at West and City highs each would get $1 million investments.

Another $3 million would be allocated to playgrounds and outdoor classrooms.

In partnership with the City of Iowa City, the plan would direct $4 million to Mercer Park fields, giving the district exclusive use of fields 1 and 4 for the next 25 years. The site improvements will allow Iowa City High School to move its softball program to the park.

The city and district initially entered into an agreement in January 2020 for the use of a field by City High to practice and play baseball games.

A new 28E agreement approved earlier this year expands the partnership for the district to use the second field including the bleachers, concession stand, press box, dugouts and batting cages for City High to practice and play softball.

Another project is $14.5 million for competition pools at the city of Coralville’s proposed recreation and aquatic center. The competition pool would provide space for Liberty and West high schools’ swim teams.

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Deputy Superintendent Chase Ramey said the district has included a 5 percent cost increase for construction over the next two years when budgeting for the projects.

School board member Mitch Lingo expressed hesitancy to approve the plan, saying he wants administrators to slow down and identify priority projects.

Lingo said he doesn’t feel like the district can rely on SAVE to continue to be funded by the state. The sales tax was extended by the Iowa Legislature in 2019. It is set to expire Jan. 1, 2051.

School board members voiced concerns that the rising cost of construction could exceed the district’s budget for the projects. School administrators assured board members that overall, facility plan 2.0 has been under budget.

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