Port Angeles — Two finalist architecture teams presented competing plans on Sept. 30 for the Port Angeles High School rebuild, outlining different approaches to renovating the campus’ aging auditorium, improving accessibility and staging construction while students remain on site. The Port Angeles School District’s capital projects director, Nolan Duce, told the board the next step is for members to rank the firms so the district can negotiate a contract with the top‑ranked team.

Why it matters: The project was the central item of the bond voters approved last year and will reshape a campus that the community uses for sports and performances. Board members and residents focused on the auditorium’s condition, how the district will keep students safe during construction, and whether local subcontractors will receive meaningful work as bidding begins.

Integris, the firm that led the district’s Stevens Middle School project, emphasized preservation of the existing auditorium and staged, occupied‑site construction. “That auditorium… it is a gem. It’s beautiful,” said Sam Schafer, Integris project manager, during his presentation, and the team described early on‑site investigations, use of a Matterport three‑dimensional scan, and detailed phasing to limit disruptions. Integris recommended using a GC/CM (General Contractor/Construction Manager) delivery to involve a contractor early, accelerate portions of the work and create smaller bid packages so local subs can participate.

Integris’ presentation highlighted design priorities the team said improve student belonging and learning: daylighting, durable materials for a coastal marine environment, and a single, identifiable front entry. The team also outlined building‑standards work carried forward from Stevens Middle School, life‑cycle cost analysis for materials, and operations‑oriented choices intended to reduce long‑term maintenance costs.

SETI Architects (the second finalist) framed its proposal around a structured educational‑specifications process designed to capture district and community priorities. Managing principal Jordan Keel said the firm would lead a broad, iterative outreach effort with teachers, students, tribal partners and district staff to determine program priorities before final design. SETI noted its experience with LEED and sustainability targets, and said it would pursue stormwater solutions and energy‑efficiency strategies during design.

SETI presented a three‑phase conceptual approach that would connect gym and auditorium lobbies, create a single main entry and a new commons, and add CTE and music spaces to reduce reliance on temporary portables. The firm said an aggressive schedule to deliver major work by June 2029 is feasible with early contractor involvement and careful permitting, and that a phased bid‑package approach could add several months to construction time while reducing schedule risk.

Public commenters emphasized on‑site access and the auditorium’s condition. One resident described the proposed project’s size as “scary” and asked about accessibility for wheelchair users, bathroom facilities and lighting in public spaces; several speakers asked the teams to prioritize distributed accessible seating and better public entry circulation. Integris and SETI both addressed those questions: Integris pointed to its experience adding ADA access and additional support spaces in prior theater renovations; SETI described potential cross‑aisles and redistributed ADA seating as part of a modernization strategy.

Board discussion that followed the presentations did not record a formal vote or a ranked selection in the transcript. Multiple board members praised Integris’ familiarity with district processes and its prior work on Stevens Middle School, calling that continuity a risk‑reduction advantage in a complex occupied‑site project. Others complimented SETI’s structured programming process and its emphasis on sustainability and tribal collaboration. Board members repeatedly described local contractor outreach and ensuring bidding opportunities for small, regional subs as priorities.

Next steps: Duce told the board members they must state a first and second preference so the district can proceed to negotiate with the top‑ranked firm. No contract negotiations or final selections were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Supporting details and context: Presenters discussed multiple technical topics that the district will need to resolve in design and construction, including early destructive testing in the auditorium to confirm structural reinforcement, specifying coastal‑appropriate materials and designing infrastructure (stormwater, electrical capacity, mechanical systems) so future expansions are possible without extensive rework. Both teams proposed early engagement with permitting authorities and recommended involving a GC/CM partner to manage schedule, long‑lead items and local subcontractor outreach.

Board members and staff said they would bring lessons from Stevens Middle School to the high‑school project and urged whichever firm is selected to set up clear decision‑making and communication processes with the district and the public. Nolan Duce reiterated that, procedurally, the board must now rank the two firms before the district begins contract negotiations.