Major renovations coming to Thornridge High School facade and swimming pool

Thornridge High School is getting a facelift after school board officials unanimously approved a $4.9 million renovation to modernize its 63-year-old facade. The renovations will include exterior windows and door replacements along with architectural panels and modern signage. 

The high school’s facade has endured years of significant wear and tear. According to buildings and grounds coordinator Gregory Crump, the building is hard to maintain and looks outdated. 

“The original windows and doors, which were part of the school’s initial construction in 1962, are particularly problematic due to their age,” Crump said at the Thornton Township High School District 205 board meeting on April 9. “It has become increasingly difficult to source replacement parts for repairs.” 

The buildings and grounds department invited five contractors to submit bids for the first phase of the project. CMM Group submitted the lowest bid at $4,931,890, about $68,000 below the estimated budget, according to Crump. The length of the contract term is two-and-a-half months.

Inside, students will have a chance to swim for the first time in years as the board unanimously approved major renovations to the school’s pool. Since 2018, the pool has been in poor condition and unusable. These renovations will also come with new bleacher seating surrounding it.

“With these improvements, the pool, once again, will become a valuable resource for the physical education classes, extracurricular activity, and community events,” Crump said. 

Bids opened for the renovations on April 8, and eight contractors applied. The department went with the lowest bidder, Chicago Heights Construction Company, which offered a bid totaling $1,004,830. The contract length is two months.

The district has made significant infrastructure upgrades across all three campuses over the past year, including roof renovations and new track and fields.

Other renovations
The board approved funding for the repair of the Thornton Township High School band room after years of deterioration and a persistent leak in the roof. 

“This combination of factors has resulted in noticeable damage, including detached and falling ceiling tiles and a compromise to the structural integrity of the floor,” Toriano Horton, Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations, said. The repairs amount to $32,200, with WB Construction and Development contracted to perform them.

The district’s summer repair project schedule will now include asbestos abatement work for all three campuses. Old floor tiling across the high schools are deteriorating, exposing students and staff to asbestos-containing adhesive.

“During our assessments, we have identified several critical areas of each campus that already need attention,” Horton said. “The most pressing issues involve the flooring tiles that are lifting, which exposes the asbestos-containing adhesive beneath.” 

The board passed a measure to contract a consultant and contractor to best contain and remove the asbestos from the schools during these repairs. Hygieneering, Inc., an environmental health and safety consulting firm, will provide consulting for $235,332 and Safeway Environmental Corporation will perform the removal and abatement for $624,600. A comprehensive plan addressing the floor repairs is in development with work slated for summer of 2026.

Student life

The board honored Thornridge senior Kaliah Oparah for accumulating $2.7 million in scholarship offers from colleges across the country, including the University of Chicago, Yale, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Chicago State University awarded 35 Thornwood High School students with a free-year of tuition to its institution at a ceremony April 8. The dollar amount of scholarships awarded to the seniors was $454,080.