Monroe Local unveils schematic design and site plan for new high school; site work planned for March–April 2026

Architects from Fanning Howie presented a schematic design and site plan Wednesday for Monroe Local School District’s planned new high school, laying out building placement, parking and an early construction schedule that calls for site work in March–April 2026 and vertical construction in summer 2026.

The presentation Wednesday night summarized several months of visioning with students, teachers and staff and concluded schematic design, Robert Roden of Fanning Howie said. The proposed site sits north of Butler Tech and is oriented to Hornet Drive; the plan shows a main entrance facing the road, about 80 new parking spaces near the front, relocated bus parking between tennis courts and the new building, and an interior layout that groups classrooms, “learning on display” science/STEM areas and athletics in separate zones.

The schematic matters because it fixes major program decisions and allows the district’s construction manager, Robertson Construction, to begin constructability work and cost estimating. “We really know where the building’s going to be. We know how it’s gonna be built,” Roden said during the presentation, describing the next step as an early-site package that will allow the district to break ground on site work in March–April 2026.

Why it matters: the schematic determines circulation, safety and how current campus functions will connect to the new facility. Designers told the board they prioritized a safe pedestrian connection between the new high school and existing campus, reduced vehicular crossing between buildings, and preserved green and athletic space. The plan reserves a roughly half-football-size practice field behind the gym that the presenters said could be turfed, and includes a two-story classroom wing with flexible “extended learning areas” instead of narrow corridors.

Key elements described - Location and visibility: The site is perched to be visible from State Route 63; the main entrance will face Hornet Drive. The plan reuses existing parking nearby to reduce new pavement and site development costs. - Circulation and safety: Bus parking is shifted to a location between athletic courts and the back of the building to separate bus traffic from parent/visitor loops and to create a pedestrian “quad” linking the old and new campuses. - Program layout: Classrooms are concentrated on the south side in a two‑story wing; a central “learning on display” zone will house science labs, STEM and marketing spaces; athletics, auxiliary gym and support spaces are placed on the north side to allow separate public access for events. - Capacity and flexibility: The cafeteria is sized to seat about 500 students, a feature district and designers said should not be downsized; the plan includes graded pads and a dotted expansion line to allow future addition of up to roughly eight classrooms without disruptive rework.

District process and timing - The schematic design followed student and staff visioning begun in February 2024 and several building tours and feedback sessions. - Designers described the current package as the schematic-design milestone; the team will hand the design to the construction manager for cost and constructability development and prepare an early-site package so underground utilities and grading can start in March–April 2026. The building is expected to go vertical in summer 2026, subject to final approvals and market conditions.

District officials and staff who spoke said the process has emphasized input from students and teachers. “We met with a group of high school students monthly all last year,” Superintendent Josh Buskirk said, describing student involvement in defining wants and needs. Board member Debbie Hagedorn praised the focus on green space and safe walking connections between buildings.

Outstanding details and next steps - Final locker-room and training-space adjacencies remain to be refined with athletic staff. Eric (athletics staff) and building administrators will continue to iterate on sizes and locations. - Cost estimating, contractor constructability reviews and OFCC (Ohio Facilities Construction Commission) square‑footage constraints will guide further design refinements.

The district will return to the board with constructability and cost information once Robertson completes its review; site work is planned to follow soon after approvals so that early earthwork and utility installation can precede vertical construction.