Renovation crews broke ground Wednesday morning at Hale Cook Elementary, launching a $15 million overhaul of the 103-year-old school at 73rd and Pennsylvania that district officials call the largest single school renovation project of the summer. A groundbreaking ceremony was scheduled for 9 a.m. at the site, marking the start of roughly a year of construction that will touch nearly every part of the building, from classrooms and hallways to the cafeteria, gym, restrooms and parking lot.
Cook Elementary opened in 1923 and was named after Hale Cook, a longtime Board of Education member, according to FOX4KC. The station reports that the school district closed the building in 2009 amid budget problems, part of a wave of consolidations tied to financial strain across Kansas City Public Schools. Waldo and Brookside residents launched a grassroots effort in 2013 to reopen it, and the building reopened in 2014 after the school temporarily operated at John T. Hartman Elementary.
Once reopened, Hale Cook started small. According to KCUR, the building reopened in 2014 with two kindergarten classes and one first-grade class, then added one grade level per year as neighborhood demand grew, eventually reaching sixth grade. The Friends of Hale Cook group spent years door-knocking to recruit families and persuade district leadership to reopen the shuttered building, per the same outlet.
What the $15 Million Buys
The renovation includes new playground equipment and play areas, replaced windows, and an altered exterior appearance, the station's report notes. It also folds in a new building addition housing four classrooms with collaboration space, a dedicated administrative suite with a secure entrance, and an ICC 500-rated storm shelter designed to protect the entire school population, according to Kansas City Public Schools.
The project wasn't finalized without pushback. Early architectural renderings drew concern from staff and families about outdoor space, classrooms, the cafeteria and the planned addition, as reported by The Beacon. In response, the district revised its layout to address the concerns. The school also has outdoor space.
A Temporary Home at Troost
While construction is underway, students who normally attend Cook will attend Troost Elementary School for the 2026-2027 school year. The former Troost Elementary facility at 1215 E. 59th St. will serve as their temporary school. Students will relocate there for the school year.
Construction at Cook Elementary is scheduled to take approximately one year, per FOX4KC. Hale Cook is the seventh school updated this year, with six other Kansas City schools also undergoing construction as the district works through its capital plan.
The Bond That Made It Possible
The renovation is funded by the $474 million bond Kansas City voters approved in April 2025, the first general obligation school bond passed by the district since 1967. Voters backed the measure with approximately 85% approval, far surpassing the required threshold.
The bond's tax impact included an estimated additional $231.80 per year for the owner of a $200,000 home, per KCUR. The bond also includes building improvements across nine participating public charter schools.
At the time voters weighed the measure, KCPS faced roughly $650 million in deferred maintenance across facilities where the average building is 60 years old, plus another $600 million in needed academic space modernizations, KCUR reports. The district plans to renovate at least 25 additional schools through 2030, giving upgrades to a group of schools each year as part of its long-term rollout.
The bond's passage followed the district's own long climb back. KCPS lost state accreditation in 2000 and did not fully regain it until 2022. The district also undertook efforts to rebuild community trust ahead of asking voters for a long-term tax increase. Hale Cook's groundbreaking now marks the start of its renovation project.
