Architects: Apple Tree site best for new Monticello high school

MONTICELLO After evaluating six possible sites, school district architects believe land near the Apple Tree subdivision may be the best spot for a new Monticello High School.

At a special Monticello school board meeting, they also rated three sites near Monticello Middle School as "good" options, but the land they looked at near the current high school came in fifth. Land on Bridge Street along I-72 finished last due to concerns over lack of access and utilities.

"The Apple Tree site kind of stands above," said John Whitlock, an architect for BLDD Architects. "The three middle school sites are also very close."

He placed Apple Tree's score of 3.05 out of 4.0 as "very good," and also felt the three middle school-area sites, ranging from 2.83 to 2.89, would be suitable should the district pursue a new school.

"I think what we were able to show here is that you have four sites that are very appropriate for a new high school location," he added.

BLDD was asked to evaluate potential sites after a November referendum question to fund a new high school was defeated. Board members heard that one reason people voted against the $40 million ballot issue was they did not know where the school would be constructed.

The idea of placing a new school near the current one the preference last year of community engagement participants is not dead, however. The site evaluated by BLDD was located south of the existing baseball field and track. The board asked BLDD to calculate a new rating based on building a new school on the current fields, which are on 20 acres the district already owns. Additional land would then be needed for new athletic fields, but less than the 32-acre minimum recommended for a 135,000-square-foot, 600-student high school.

If the school board opted for Apple Tree, 30 of the 50 acres already belong to the city of Monticello, which plans on developing a recreation area on the plat

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Architects: Apple Tree site best for new Monticello high school