Everett council asks administration to hold neighborhood meetings before pursuing reuse of former high school; mayor outlines plan

Councilors on the Everett City Council on Tuesday asked the administration to convene neighborhood and parent meetings before the council takes further action on a plan to reuse the former Everett High School and to dispose of the former Pope John site for affordable housing.

The clerk read a letter from Mayor DeMaria describing updated feasibility plans prepared by Mount Vernon Group Architects that would convert space in the former Everett High School to a segregated 7th–8th grade academy, provide a separate, secure entrance and relocated space for the Elliott Family Resource Center, and retain the Pope John site for affordable senior and veteran housing. The mayor wrote the plans show the site “may be used for critical community needs, including additional educational classroom space without compromising student safety,” and asked the council to reconsider its prior vote against borrowing for expansion.

Why it matters: Councilors and neighborhood residents expressed concern about impacts on Maple Street and other nearby blocks, the cost of renovation, and how displaced nonprofit services like the Elliott Center and a boxing club would be accommodated. Councilors emphasized the need for community input, clearer timelines, and detailed cost breakdowns before authorizing funding.

During a wide-ranging exchange, councilors asked for a neighborhood meeting to notify parents and abutters and to give the mayor’s office time to advertise. Mayor DeMaria said he would try to convene meetings in the next 10 days and suggested a likely return to the council after community meetings in early January or shortly thereafter. He also said the administration may reissue an RFP for the Pope John property to solicit proposals for affordable housing targeted to seniors, veterans and households at 30–60% of area median income.

Councilors pressed for budget detail: the council was told the renovation cost estimate rose from about $72 million to roughly $79 million. The administration attributed the increase to added program space, higher labor and materials costs, and upgrades such as a new HVAC system, security, and technology. Architects said the project will include extensive renovations — new heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning systems, updated technology and security, and reconfigured cafeteria and classroom spaces — and estimated construction and soft costs average about $400–$420 per square foot.

Several councilors asked for explicit cost splits — how much of the $79 million is school construction, how much is fit‑out for the Elliott Center, and how much is for the boxing club. Councilor Smith asked that future presentations include separate line items for school, nonprofit fit‑outs, and other uses so the public can see who pays for what. The mayor and staff agreed to provide that level of detail when the administration returns with a funding order.

Formal action: after the discussion the council voted to refer Item 17 to the administration and request that community meetings be held beginning in January; the administration is expected to return to the council with a proposed funding order and additional documentation after those meetings.

Next steps: The administration will convene neighborhood meetings and meet with school and community stakeholders before returning to the council with a more detailed funding plan and schedule. Councilors asked the administration to supply cost breakdowns and to clarify a timetable for issuing any RFP to dispose of the Pope John site for affordable housing.