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Arlington Heights trustees OK Greenbrier School expansion

Arlington Heights trustees approved plans Tuesday for an expansion to Greenbrier Elementary aimed at alleviating overcrowding.

The two-story, 8,280- square-foot addition on the southwest side of the school building at 2330 N. Verde Drive would be the fifth school addition since last year in Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 due to burgeoning enrollment.

With the start of school last week, major additions opened at Thomas Middle School and Windsor Elementary, and last year, expansions were unveiled at Ivy Hill and Olive-Mary Stitt elementary schools.

The Greenbrier expansion on the north side of town would contain four classrooms, two small group spaces and two offices. Also proposed is converting the existing building's computer lab into a classroom, and renovating an odd-shaped classroom into two small group spaces.

"It's the smallest of those five additions," Superintendent Lori Bein told the village board Tuesday night, "but it's not small in importance."

The school's current K-5 enrollment is 276, projected to increase to 320 over the next four years. The school also houses the district's early childhood program, which has an enrollment of 180 and is expected to rise to 200 in the same time frame.

The project also calls for adding 10 spots to the parking lot for a total of 75, though school officials said it's likely some school staff and visitors would still have to park on the street.

Trustee Jim Tinaglia encouraged the district to create additional on-site parking, but District 25 Director of Facilities Ryan Schulz said the district is limited by a tight site.

Costs for the project have been estimated between $5.1 million and $8.1 million. The district has received construction bids, but the school board won't vote on a final bid price until Sept. 21.

The work would be funded under a borrowing plan approved by the school board in December 2016.

Construction is targeted to begin in late October or early November, with completion the following August, in time for the 2018-19 school year.

A plan to alleviate space crunch

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