Correction:
The caption on the featured photograph with this story was updated to reflect that it was a file photograph shot before the Akron Public Schools successfully passed a levy in November 2024.
A soccer stadium. Tennis courts. Natural light and green space. Improved air quality and comfortable seats.
These are a few of the amenities and improvements community members earlier this month told the architecture teams in charge of reimagining North High School they would like to see included in the new design.
Last year, voters in Akron passed an $85 million construction bond to rebuild the aging North High School. Staff and students said it’s desperately needed, especially as the neighborhood’s population continues to swell with the welcome ingress of refugees and immigrants.
At the Oct. 9 community meeting, while architects from Hasenstab and Moody Nolan stopped short of making promises, they said the feedback was valuable. And that they’re committed to delivering what future North students need inside a state-of-the-art school.
Including comfortable seats. The architects did promise the new classrooms would have better chairs for students.
The architects said they plan to finish construction in March 2029.
New North High School expected to be completed in early 2029
During the meeting in the school auditorium, architects explained the project is in its community engagement phase. See the full timeline below:
- September to November 2025 — Community engagement
- November 2025 to January 2026 — Programming, design
- January 2026 to February 2027 — Document procurement
- February 2027 to April 2027 — Reviews and approvals
- April 2027 to March 2029 — Construction
- March 2029 — Construction finishes
- June 2029 — Demolition of old building
Architects plan to hire a construction manager at risk
Representatives from the two firms said they were learning from others and would hire the construction manager at risk to be involved with the design phase.
The construction manager at risk is a unique position; the company holds one contract with the district to act as consultant during design and as project manager during construction. By doing this, they plan to coordinate best practices into designs to safeguard against cost overruns and maintain the construction timeline.
They also said they are engaging with regional companies and corporations to, hopefully, secure a sports facility sponsorship on the front end of the project. For instance, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, owners of the Cleveland Browns, donated the turf at Ellet High School in 2019.
Finally, they promised to think creatively about maintaining newer areas of North High School, such as the weight room.