Stevenson High School construction projects underway

With the Stevenson High School campus off-limits to students and most staffers this summer because of the COVID-19 crisis, it's the perfect time to undertake a slew of construction projects.

Parts of the East and West buildings are construction zones. So is the school stadium, where on Monday workers with Superior Paving laid down asphalt beneath the east bleachers near the foundation for what will be a new running track around the football field.

The artificial turf field already has been replaced.

Those improvements, some classroom and cafeteria renovations and other miscellaneous summertime projects are expected to cost about $7.8 million.

Off campus, the district will pay to resurface 12 tennis courts at the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex as part of the construction package. Stevenson maintains a 47-acre portion of the complex.

The biggest project in the works at Stevenson is a separate undertaking: the expansion of Stevenson's East Building and field house. It's expected to cost $45 million to $50 million and it will take more than a year to complete, officials have said.

The 106,300-square-foot addition will make room for more athletic courts, an artificial turf playing field, an area for exercise equipment, offices and other amenities.

The field house now stands at 870,000 square feet.

Necessary utility improvements at the site are being tackled first.