A school district in the northwest suburbs is currently seeking public input on potential renovation projects that could total up to $850 million.
High School District 214 has not yet put forward any formal proposals. Instead, they are in the process of collecting community feedback regarding significant upgrades to their facilities.
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During a recent tour, District 214 Superintendent Scott Rowe highlighted the conditions at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect. He pointed out that the school’s basement still houses the original boiler, dating back to the building’s construction in 1957.
This high school is just one of six, along with seven other district buildings, that the district has identified as needing substantial updates.
“Our teams excel at maintaining the appearance of our facilities. However, the real concern lies beneath the surface, where the infrastructure is aging,” Rowe explained.
According to Rowe, an extensive facilities assessment conducted by external experts has pinpointed $850 million worth of necessary improvements, many of which are crucial for ensuring the safety and comfort of both students and staff.
“There are 10 separate categories that chunk some of the big projects that we’re after, from HVAC infrastructure, to ceilings and walls, to roof replacement, to classroom refreshes, all of the different opportunities that exist within this assessment to renew our schools,” Rowe said.
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Aside from the 10 different categories of suggested projects, the district is breaking out three different potential funding levels.
The highest, approximately $800 million, would be an annual increase of $421 in taxes a year for property owners based on a $400,000 home.
Jeffrey Martin has lived in Arlington Heights for more than 40 years.
“Timing is really a huge issue here. We just got done with real estate assessments. We don’t know yet what effect they’re going to have on our taxes. Combine that with the uncertainty about the Bears coming in and what effect that’s going to have on our property taxes, it’s just a lot for people in this community to be able to afford,” Martin said.
Rowe admits the numbers are a big ask. But, he says, that’s why they’re engaging the community with the process.
“We’re in the education of our community phase and listening to their feedback phase. We have not made a determination of if we’re going to seek a referendum and if so, how much,” Rowe said.
District 214 has three upcoming info sessions: two virtual ones on Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 and an in-person session at the Rolling Meadows High School theater at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3.
