CHANGE MY LOCATION
Local
California News
Multimedia News
Garage plan may delay upgrade to Arlington school
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: Arlington
Arlington (Map, News) - A proposal to add a parking garage to the $102 million replacement of most of Yorktown High School threatens to delay the project.
Arlington’s citizen planning commission and transportation commission recommended adding a parking garage at the school. Neighbors have argued for months that the 347-space parking lot the county school system is planning is insufficient.
Arlington Public Schools staff proposes demolishing about 181,600 square feet of the existing building, built in 1950, and replacing it with 291,000 square feet of new school. As planned, the new construction would be built between the school’s existing auditorium and a $9.6 million wing added in 2005.
The County Board is scheduled to consider the project Saturday, but the parking issue could delay its approval. Board members put off considering it in September because the planning and transportation commissions had not approved the project. Both have since done, but recommended adding the garage.
Schools staff says a parking garage costs too much, according to a memo prepared for the County Board. It estimates the cost of a garage at $3.1 million to $10 million. The neighbors contend that a school built for 1,600 students and 230 staff, with a stadium, two gyms, an auditorium and a theater, needs at least 400 parking spaces. They support adding the garage.
“We raised our concerns early and often in this process,” said David Haring, president of the Yorktown Civic Association. “The school board and staff didn't respond and consequently we're still fighting about it.”
Changing from a parking lot on the east side of the site to the garage also means that it could be built closer to the new stadium and athletic fields the school shares with adjacent Greenbriar Park, Haring said. Parking for sports events has been another neighborhood concern since three new fields opened in the spring, he said. Schools staff hopes to begin construction as soon as school lets out in June. Delaying the project would cause more disruption to students and would be costly because of escalating construction prices, said Sarah Woodhead, design and construction director for Arlington schools.
mhegstad@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
3:31 AM MST on Fri., Oct. 12, 2007 re: "Garage plan may delay upgrade to Arlington school"
Report as inappropriate
Picky Pete said:
It's "Greenbrier" Park, not "Greenbriar" Park. You guys actually ever been to Arlington?
112 agree | 94 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree