Aki Kurose Middle School is on track for a sweeping overhaul this summer, with Seattle Public Schools preparing a roughly $225 million renovation and expansion in Hillman City. The plan calls for tearing out about 25,000 square feet of the current structure and replacing that corner of campus with a new two-story, roughly 65,000-square-foot classroom wing, while modernizing most of what remains. When the dust settles, the reworked campus is expected to provide permanent space for up to 1,000 students, and the district plans to move students to an interim site while the heavy construction work is underway. Construction documents, permitting and early work planning are already in motion.
As first reported by the Puget Sound Business Journal, the district is "nearing a ceremonial groundbreaking" for the project, with the outlet pegging the budget at about $225 million. The district's project page confirms that construction documents and permitting are progressing while the bid and award steps are slotted into the schedule.
What the work will do
State project filings show that the plan is to demolish roughly 25,000 square feet and build an approximately 65,000-square-foot classroom wing, then modernize about 145,000 square feet of existing space to create a permanent home for roughly 1,000 sixth-through-eighth graders, according to the State of Washington project filing. Those filings outline construction budgets, contingencies and off-site work that take into account the tight 4.8-acre site and the need for a carefully managed construction transportation plan.
Timeline and interim housing
Seattle Public Schools says it is targeting a construction start in summer 2026 and substantial completion in summer 2028, with students expected to occupy the revamped building in fall 2028. During the work, the district plans to shift Aki Kurose students to the Van Asselt interim site for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years while demolition, new construction and modernization move ahead.
Design, sustainability and neighborhood tradeoffs
The design team is leaning into daylight, flexible learning spaces and energy efficiency while keeping character elements of the original 1952 building, according to project materials from Integrus Architecture. Neighborhood review documents filed with the city spell out requested departures for lot coverage, building height and long-term bike parking, and detail planned changes to trees, bus loading areas and pedestrian access that neighbors and city staff will be weighing during permit review.
Costs and funding
The Puget Sound Business Journal's projected price tag lands near the middle of the range. State project documents, cited in the State of Washington filing, show total costs that vary depending on which line items and contingencies are counted, from roughly $212.6 million up to about $232.5 million. The construction phase is funded through the Building Excellence VI capital levy, while prior levies covered design and preconstruction work and cleared the way for the current timeline.
What to expect next
Over the spring and early summer, the city is set to process the district's departure requests, permits and public comments while the district advertises early work packages that cover demolition, abatement and site utilities. City project filings list meeting dates and public contact information and hold the documents that the district, neighbors and regulators will lean on as the Aki Kurose overhaul moves from planning to reality.
