Palmer High School could expand across Boulder Street in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Palmer High School is slated to get some major renovations that could impact drivers in the downtown area. The developer's master plan would include permanently closing off a portion of E Boulder St.
Palmer High School is filled with history. After decades of serving students in the Pikes Peak region, it's accumulated some unique details.
"We have some quirky things like built-in record players here in our lecture hall," showed Palmer High School Athletic Director, Matt Wilson.
It's part of the history the school says it will preserve while providing better athletic and academic facilities for students. The new master plan would house an upgraded baseball field, a renovated auditorium, and a new three-story athletic building. Right now the athletic director says many students drive to a park miles away for sports and other athletic activities, which he says can hinder participation. He says he's thrilled about the renovations.
"It'll be incredible to be able to play in a gym that has a massive wall of windows overlooking the prettiest mountain range around. That will be second to none," shared Wilson.
In order to achieve that, the school would have to build over Boulder St.
Neighbors in the area shared mixed reactions with KRDO13. Some were worried about the traffic impacts and how it might cause more congestion in an already busy area. Others were not concerned saying it's just a road and that they support the students having an expanded football field.
The Palmer High School Principal says a connected campus will foster a sense of belonging for students.
"Having one main campus would really lend itself to safety and security and students really feeling like they belong here. It would also, I think, eliminate, some of our students being lost on the way to PE class at 711," shared Palmer High School Principal, Krista Burke
The school thinks it would also be safer for students crossing the street.
"When they looked at, the different intersections and where our kids cross and how much they cross, having that ability to walk back and forth without having to cross the street is appealing in that aspect," said Burke.
The city says they are considering the district's request and sent this statement:
The City is considering the district’s request while carefully balancing potential impacts on public safety, first responder access, and overall traffic flow within the downtown and adjacent corridors.
City of Colorado Springs Communication
Colorado Springs School District 11 will have to pass the request through the city council before any changes can be made to the throughway.
"But we're hoping by spring break that we really kind of have a timeline of when we will start abatement for asbestos and things like that, and when we will start actually demolishing parts of buildings and building new construction," explained Burke.
The school plans to have more meetings for community input and education on the renovation. As of Wednesday they do not have a date for the next meeting, but say they will be posted to the district and the high school's websites.
If all the plans get approved construction could start in September 2025.
