The Board of Education for Evanston Township High School District 202 moved forward at its April 7 meeting with plans to expand the high school’s Arts & Innovation wing.
The board approved awarding $2.5 million in construction contracts for the first phase of renovations and upgrades to the Arts & Innovation wing. Construction is scheduled to begin over the summer.
The renovations to the Arts & Innovation space include a new orchestra space, a black box style theater and an extended hallway for the first phase of approved bids.
Bulley and Andrews, a Chicago-based construction group, is overseeing the bidding process and construction. In a letter from Bulley and Andrews’ Senior Project Manager Antonia Winfrey to the district’s Chief Financial Officer Kendra Williams, Winfrey recommended that the board approve 11 bids for the first phase of construction.
Winfrey recommended an additional five bids for general trades, wood flooring, drywall, electric and excavation go out to bid again to ensure a fair and competitive bidding process and for the project to keep on schedule.
Per the letter, the district has chosen to postpone accepting further bids for an orchestra addition, seating for the theater, a hallway extension and portable recording equipment before the May Board of Education meeting.
Construction for the expansion and other upgrades to ETHS are being funded through the Evanston Township High School Education Foundation.
Throughout the school year, ETHS has been celebrating the 100 year anniversary of its move to its current location near Church Street and Dodge Avenue in Evanston.
The foundation has solicited and received big donations in the last year. In January, the Board of Education approved a $7 million gift, to be paid in installments, from an alumnus, Leonard Schaeffer, to upgrade the high school’s auditorium.
And in February, the board approved a $2.5 million donation from the Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation to upgrade the school’s facilities, infrastructure and learning spaces.
