This school year kicked off with Upper Arlington high schoolers in a new building for the first time in more than half a century. The new high school completes two and a half years of construction backed by a $230 million bond from 2017.
Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Schools
The three-story building features an increase of more than 100,000 square feet from the previous high school to a total of about 400,000 square feet. Other significant expansions include a new performing arts center, black box theater, natatorium, varsity gym and three-court multipurpose gym.
Other improvements include up - dated and new athletic facilities. Baseball and softball diamonds and a new turf field were added on land behind Tremont Elementary School and renovations were made to the district’s stadium.
The previous high school, which served as home to students since 1956, is currently undergoing a demolition process expected to take months. Archaeologists are also completing research on the land, which overlaps with the Pleasant Litchford Cemetery site. Before moving students to that Ridgeview Road location, the Jones Middle School building previously served as the district’s high school.
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Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Schools
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Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Schools
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Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Schools
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Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington Schools
The new school comes from a master plan to update the district’s schools first developed by the Upper Arlington com - munity in 2015. After passing the 2017 bond and receiving an additional $7.5 million from the Upper Arlington Legacy capital campaign, the district completed a year-long design process before beginning construction. The plan, as endorsed by the ballot issue, includes renovations or complete rebuildings of all five elementaries.
Throughout the 2021-22 school year, workers will continue developing the site at 1625 Zollinger Rd., demolishing the old building and researching the cemetery.
Cameron Carr is associate editor. Feedback welcome at ccarr@cityscenemediagroup.com.
