SPOKANE, Wash. — The demolition of Adams Elementary School on the South Hill is nearly finished.
Spokane’s oldest school, built 116 years ago, will be replaced with a new building. The elementary school’s frontside is the last portion standing.
The school district says demolition is expected to be done by the end of the month.
The new Adams Elementary project was given the green light when the 2025 Together Spokane Initiative passed. Around mid – November, they were informed they had two months to completely move their students and staff to a new location. Right now, students are learning at “Camp Adams”, their make-shift school at the old Jefferson Elementary on 37th street.
“We spent December moving items over, starting to get classrooms set up. A lot of work was done during the December holiday,” said Beth Nye, Adams Elementary principal.
“They’re very excited, as all of us are, to get back to the new building when it’s ready,” Nye said.
The new school will be 20,000 square feet larger than the old one. Some school parents say their children are excited to move in.
“My oldest is really excited to come back, at least for one last year. It’s a new school. So I mean, we’re really excited and we’re really thankful that the community was able to invest in our children’s future,” said Ana Lua, a school parent.
Officials plan to build the new school closer to Regal Street in hopes to help solve the issue of heavy traffic during school pickup and drop-off.
The new Adams will also include ADA accessibility standards like a fixed elevator and ramps to help those with disabilities, and a new bus stop.
Construction on the new building will begin next month.
The school district says the full campus should be ready for students by August of next year.
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