SPOKANE, Wash. — Adams Elementary, the oldest school in the Spokane School District, will be torn down and rebuilt thanks to voters approving the $440 million Together Spokane plan.
The 116-year-old building has cracked windows, aging hallways, and ongoing problems that make teaching and learning difficult.
“Recent things that we’ve been grappling with are some of our sewage issues, creating some different aromas in our building,” said Beth Nye, Adams Elementary principal. Nye says the school also deals with leaks, blind corners, and thin windows.
Final vote counts on Monday confirmed that the plan from Spokane Parks and Recreation and Spokane Public Schools is approved, meaning Adams will get its long-awaited upgrade.
“The students here at Adams are going to be transitioning in 24 days to a temporary school site at the old Jefferson Building on 37th and Grand, and we’re going to start demolition right away,” said Dr. Adam Swinyard, Spokane Public Schools superintendent.
Teachers have started packing up classrooms in preparation for the move. The school hopes to start classes at the Jefferson building on January 5th.
While the Adams rebuild is a top priority for schools, the Together Spokane plan has several other projects planned for the next year, including: Construction on the new Meadowglen Park, hiring more park rangers, and expanding the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex.
“This is a generational investment in the future of Spokane,” Swinyard said. “We couldn’t be more excited to move forward.”
The district plans to preserve parts of the old Adams building’s history, like its red bricks.
“I think that when we finally are into the new building, we will be pleased with how it represents the old Adams, knowing that it’s modern for our kids, and it has all of us still in it,” Nye said.
The district expects the new Adams Elementary will be finished in 2027.
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