East Grand Rapids — East Grand Rapids Public Schools is rolling out plans for its high school transformation, the flagship project from the district’s $158.9 million bond approved by voters in 2023.
District leaders and bond partners recently unveiled preliminary designs for the expansion, set to bring a new 150,000-square-foot building and more than 40,000 square feet of renovated space to the high school campus.
The expansion will add new, 25% larger classrooms, updated learning technology, state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems, mental health and social-emotional supports at the center of the school, breakout and collaboration rooms, and new spaces for the arts, choir, STEM and more, according to information shared by the district.
“We are excited to reveal the efforts of three years of feedback, planning and design, which will result in 90% of instructional spaces being moved to a world-class expansion centered on student learning,” Superintendent Dr. Heidi Kattula said in a statement to SNN.
The overall cost of the high school renovation is expected to be around $131.2 million, including bond funds and a $2.4 million enhancement grant from the East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation, said Michelle Kastanek, executive assistant to the superintendent and board of education.
In a note to district families, Kattula acknowledged that parking remains an “unresolved challenge,” as the new builds will encroach upon an already strained existing lot. The district and its architects are considering the feasibility of adding a multi-level parking space, and are looking at two-, three- and four-story options, but a decision has not been reached on how to move forward.
Kattula said the district will continue to work with the city and the community as it evaluates parking needs.
Anthony Morey, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, said collaboration has been key to the project since its inception, and will continue to be in the next 16 months.
“While we navigated numerous constraints on the available high school footprint, we were able to work creatively with students, staff and the community to present a design that we believe will serve the whole child for years to come,” Morey said in a statement to SNN.
According to the current project timelines, board authorization is expected in January 2026, with a groundbreaking slated for June of that year.
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