Skyline High School renovation complete after 7 years
by Logan Stefanich ksl · KSL.comKEY TAKEAWAYS
- Skyline High School's renovation, funded through a $238 million bond, is complete.
- Construction spanned seven years due to phased rebuilding on the existing site.
- Safety and modern design improvements were prioritized, reducing access points significantly.
MILLCREEK — For the first time in seven years, students and staff at Skyline High School have enjoyed a construction-free start to their school year.
The final domino of Skyline's renovation fell Friday when the Granite School District officially opened the school's performing arts center, concluding a lengthy and challenging construction process that began with the passage of a $238 million bond in 2017 to rebuild Skyline and Cyprus high schools, along with other projects.
Since Skyline was rebuilt on its existing site, construction took place in phases over the past seven years to avoid students being displaced.
"(Construction) started before Cyprus, and it finished after because we had to phase all of those different components of the building, so that we could continue to use the building on such a small piece of property throughout the construction period," said Ben Horsley, the superintendent of Granite School District.
Horsley said the rebuild was necessary due to seismic concerns, including a "leaky roof," along with a general need to update the school to accommodate a modern learning environment.
Besides shuffling students and faculty, another challenge of the rebuild was the presence of a large pipeline from the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy and an easement that restricted the district from building on top of it.
"We can put parking areas or field space, but we can't put permanent structures on that easement, and so that was another challenge, building around that piece," Horsley said.
Horsley said the way schools are designed these days is crucial, with a major emphasis on safety in all new builds and renovations.
"It's probably one of the safest facilities we've ever built," Horsley said, adding that the old Skyline High School had over 72 access points, a number that's been drastically reduced through the renovations.
It's also designed to be more in line with the modern age, with "pods" of classrooms favored over the traditional design of classrooms situated off a main hallway. This flexible classroom structure, the district's website said, will allow for better adaptation as educational needs change throughout the years.
With that in mind, Horsley also said the district tried to be mindful about cost-effectiveness while navigating the rebuild.
"The design was intentionally subdued. ... We wanted a beautiful building, but we did not want it to be overly flamboyant at the expense of our taxpayers," Horsley said. "And I think we found a nice balance on that front."
While early, Horsley said the initial return on investment has been overwhelmingly positive among students and staff.
"By all accounts, all the conversations I've had, the excitement has just grown and grown," Horsley said.
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