The OPRF District 200 Board of Education votes Thursday, July 16, on whether to authorize $750,000 in design work that would advance the $84.6 million Act 3 project, the third phase of the district's Imagine OPRF long-range facilities plan. The rebuild would demolish the high school's southwest corner and replace it with a new pool, gymnasium, weight room, locker rooms, PE classrooms, and performing arts spaces.

The special board meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the Board Room at 201 N. Scoville Ave. The agenda's central action item asks the board to approve a Design Development Authorization with FGM Architects, the firm behind the Act 3 plans. If approved, FGM would produce full construction-ready design documents for the project.

What Act 3 includes

According to floor plans filed with the Village of Oak Park, the rebuild calls for a 10,341-square-foot pool, a 20,027-square-foot gymnasium, a 5,653-square-foot weight room, and a 5,969-square-foot dance studio, along with locker rooms, athletics offices, and PE classrooms. The project also includes new music classrooms, a black-box theater, and rehearsal rooms for a performing arts program that enrolls more than 535 students in curricular classes alone.

Funding remains unresolved

The board approved Act 3's scope and estimated budget of $84,604,977 at its June 25 meeting, according to district agenda records. But district officials have not determined how to pay for the project, and no construction start date has been set, the Chicago Tribune reported June 29. The $750,000 design contract on Thursday's agenda would not commit the district to construction.

Planning timeline

The board reviewed the schematic design on May 28, received a cost estimate on June 11, and approved the scope and budget on June 25. Thursday's vote is the next scheduled milestone.

Superintendent Dr. Gregory Johnson said at the May 28 meeting that the district was "still in the process of evaluating project scope, estimated costs, and funding options before any decisions are made about moving forward."

Context: recent campus upgrades

The vote comes as the district nears completion of Imagine OPRF's second phase, a $102 million renovation of the building's southeast end that included a new swimming pool with spectator balcony, a multi-purpose gym, and locker rooms. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for that project is scheduled for Saturday, August 22. The district also completed a $16.5 million track, multipurpose field, and softball field renovation in fall 2023 in collaboration with the Park District of Oak Park.

How to attend

Residents can attend in person or join via Zoom (Webinar ID: 814 7376 4613, Passcode: 369499). Public comments follow the closed session; attendees should join by 7:30 p.m. Written comments must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16, according to the meeting agenda.