Board reviews designs for new Central and Argentine middle schools and advances Sumner addition planning

Kansas City, Kansas — At the Nov. 11 board meeting, Hollis & Miller presented design development updates for bond‑funded middle‑school projects and described community engagement to date, schematic design choices and next‑step timelines.

Central Middle School: Julia Cusco, project lead, described a courtyard‑centric plan for the new Central, sited on the former Bethany Hospital parcel. Primary design elements include a central enclosed courtyard seen by many academic spaces, a glass‑forward main entry, a flexible commons/cafeteria that opens into a performance space, and preservation of historic features such as the Central brick bear. Interior planning emphasizes flexible collaboration zones, maker space adjacency to the media center, and inclusion of specialized program classrooms (kitchen access and adaptable rooms for life‑skills or behavior‑support programs).

Argentine Middle School: Vassil Patel presented schematic design concepts for the new Argentine, to be located on the existing Silver City/JC Herman site. The design uses a three‑bar massing to fit site constraints, places public spaces (commons, gym) to the north, and situates academic neighborhoods to the south with strong daylighting. The team described circulation plans (separate car and bus loops), an entry plaza, and a material palette emphasizing warm neutrals and school‑pride moments inside the building. The team noted the intent to preserve Argentine traditions (bell, display cases) in the new building.

Sumner addition and schedule: Hollis & Miller reported that Sumner’s GMP is being brought forward to enable construction procurement; the team said Sumner is furthest along, with construction anticipated to begin after GMP approval (timeline targeted around spring of the next school year), and that Central and Argentine design development and bidding cycles will follow. Community informational meetings and neighborhood outreach, including a November 19 session at Harmon High School, were highlighted as part of the engagement plan.

Board questions and responses: Board members asked about gym configurations, spectator seating (the design currently favors bleachers on one side for cost and structural reasons), whether courts meet high‑school requirements, and how historic materials and memorabilia will be displayed. Designers said the one‑side bleacher approach balances seats with circulation constraints and storm‑shelter/structural span limits; they also confirmed target seating (about 750) would accommodate current student populations. Engineers have modeled bus/truck radiuses and circulation patterns to ensure safe bus loops and car drop‑offs.

What’s next: Architects will return with further updates (Hollis & Miller indicated a tentative January update), and the district will bring GMP documents and bidding schedules back to the board when the projects reach the procurement phase.