Morris Community High School has officially kicked off a $67 million makeover that district leaders say will finally pull a patchwork campus into one connected building. The long-planned, two-story addition is set to modernize classrooms, add new performance and STEM spaces, and move student dining out of the basement and up into the light. Administrators and contractors say the project will also replace aging HVAC systems and untangle some of the traffic snarls around the school.
The ceremonial shovels hit dirt on May 6, with Superintendent Craig Ortiz, a district alumnus who has worked in the system for nearly four decades, calling the project the culmination of years of planning. As reported by Morris Herald-News, Ortiz said, "We've talked for a long time about this," emphasizing that getting "every student under one roof" has been a central goal. The paper also noted that the addition is expected to cut down on students hustling across parking lots between classes.
What the addition will do
The project will take out three unattached buildings and reorganize the campus around a new central courtyard, reshaping the school from an L into more of a square. According to American School & University, the work includes demolition, major structural and electrical upgrades, and mechanical improvements to support updated instructional areas. Plans also call for a geothermal heating and cooling system as part of the HVAC overhaul.
Local contractor, local pride
Chicago-based Bulley & Andrews is managing construction, bringing in a K-12 and performance-space team led by Brendan Keane. He told the local paper the job hits close to home because site superintendent Phil Kay is a Morris High graduate who still lives in town, and that he has learned civic pride can be a powerful motivator. Bulley & Andrews' team page highlights Keane's experience with complex school and theater projects and notes his collaborative approach on large builds.
Cost, contracts and next steps
The district has moved into the contract phase. A $14,385,265 subcontract covering concrete, steel, masonry, glazing, cold-formed metal, roofing and geothermal work cleared the way for on-site activity this spring, according to American School & University. Officials say construction will be sequenced to limit disruptions to classes, with larger phases coming online as financing is issued. The construction manager and district staff are set to coordinate scheduling to keep students and traffic moving safely while work is underway.
District leaders credited a volunteer group called 101Next, along with the school board, for helping secure voter support for the bond and preparing the community for the scope of the project. For the official project overview and bond language, the district has posted details on its project page at Morris Community High School.
