Taylor High School renovation plans revealed after new build scrapped
District officials presented a multi-phase modernization plan to the public on Thursday, following a decision to use remaining bond funds to upgrade the existing campus.
By Fatima Saleh ·
Taylor Public Schools presented a $130 million renovation plan for Taylor High School to community members on Thursday. The project marks a shift from the district's original intent to build a new high school and career center, a goal voters approved via a bond measure in 2021.
District leaders abandoned the new construction plan during the 2022 design phase. Officials determined that the approved funding was insufficient to complete the build. After surveying voters, the district chose to renovate the current building instead.
The proposed redesign includes a new library, separate science and arts wings, and upgraded classrooms. Plans also call for dedicated space for ninth graders and new east, north, and central courtyards. Classroom updates feature lockable storage casework and movable desks.
Safety improvements are central to the design. The plan includes lockdown doors to isolate building sections and security offices distributed throughout the campus to aid staff response. Superintendent Mike Wegher cited two recent student fights at the school as evidence of the need for better security.
“The biggest thing to me is that hallway layout,” Wegher said. “You heard a lot of it today that the way it currently is can lead to unsafe situations. And to have a simplified floor plan where people can see all the way through is going to help us maintain better safety.”
The district is working with The Collaborative as the architect and Barton-Malow Builders as the construction manager. The project will proceed in eight phases. The city expects to award bids between February and April 2027. The first phase is scheduled to start in June, with final phases expected to conclude in December 2030.
Voters approved three bond sales totaling $130 million. Only one sale, amounting to $31 million, occurred in April 2022. The school board will vote on the design plans and the next bond sales at a meeting on Nov. 4. The district also broke ground in March on a new sports complex at the school.
Source: WDIV ClickOnDetroit
