Iowa City school board OK’s City High performing arts plan

IOWA CITY – The third time was the charm for a major expansion to the performing arts space at City High School.

After balking at two earlier proposals, the Iowa City school board Tuesday night gave its approval to a $6.2 million remodel and building addition that will benefit the school's music, theater and drama programs.

“I think we're making a significant statement as a board and a community that we are investing in performing arts,” board member Mike Cooper said.

The board's vote was 4-0, with Gayle Klouda, Michael Shaw and Sarah Swisher absent.

City High Principal John Bacon called it “an outstanding plan” that would give the school space comparable to other schools in its conference.

The architecture firm Shive-Hattery last summer presented a $12 million plan based on renovations suggested by school officials. School board members said that was way too expensive for a project for which the district had budgeted $4.5 million.

In September, the firm came back with a $4.5 million proposal that board members categorized as dismal, saying it didn't do enough to meet the needs.

The $6.2 million plan shared Tuesday night is a compromise between the two, and Superintendent Stephen Murley said it addresses the needs of the students and staff and is more fiscally responsible.

It adds more space for rehearsal, practice, storage and offices. Some of the work involves remodeling 10,200 square feet of existing space, but the plan also calls for an 18,500-square-foot addition to the high school.

The project also affects space for some other programs, including special education. The industrial technology building would be demolished, with those classes moving off campus.

Murley said the district would have to push back other projects to cover the additional $1.7 million cost from what the district has budgeted. He said administrators are currently working on identifying those projects.

A project timeline calls for construction to start in spring 2012 and be complete in summer 2013.