Council Hears Conditional‑use Request for Academy of Excellence at St. Rita’s Property; School Board Members Raise Funding Concerns

A proposed high school operated by Academy of Excellence is seeking a conditional‑use permit to occupy the former St. Rita’s school building at the block including 6021 West Lincoln Avenue and adjacent properties, city planning staff told the Common Council on March 18.

The conditional‑use request covers school use in a C‑2 commercial zone, architectural and landscaping review, and use of the church parking lot and an adjacent gymnasium by lease. Staff said the school intends standard academic hours (Monday–Friday, roughly 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), occasional after‑school events, and a maximum enrollment of about 125 students; the applicant expects to bring roughly 100 high‑school students and five employees and to start classes in September if approved.

The Planning Commission reviewed the proposal last month and recommended approval with conditions, planning staff said. Those conditions include provision of ADA‑accessible parking, additional landscaping and bicycle racks, a floor‑by‑floor programmatic plan for the building, confirmation of code…