For good reason, Great Falls High School’s historic original building, built in 1930, was recognized in 2017 by Architectural Digest Magazine as one of the Most Beautiful Public High Schools in America. During 1965, my class was the last to graduate before CMR was built. At the peak of its utilization, 3,000 students attended in 3 shifts, starting at 6 AM and ending at 6 PM.
That is a blip in its history that was only 35 years after it was built and 53 years ago today. I assume many would be interested so I intend to chronical the history of Great Falls High School. Please stay tuned.
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of informational articles detailing the history of Great Falls High School, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
I was born in Great Falls, am a 1965 alumnus of Great Falls High School, gained a Masters in Architecture from MSU during 1973, and started my architectural practice during 1978 in Calgary. I have successfully completed many architectural projects in several States and Canadian Provinces. Locally, my family has owned businesses and has built numerous residential and commercial projects since the early 1900’s. I am a property owner, landlord, and have development interests next to the GF International Airport. I am pleased to say that I have been honored with American Institute of Architects building design and academic awards.
I have been watching the E-City-Beat blog since the new editor took responsibly a short while back. Although I do not agree with some of what is said, I see it is an enlightening way to find out opinions about what is happening in and around Great Falls. Whether I agree or disagree with the ECB bloggers, the exposure to the variety of viewpoints is interesting and hard to find elsewhere. Contrary to one bloggers negative comments, I do not see ECB as a loser’s blog, I see it more as a freedom of speech blog expressing varying opinions about our region. It is very annoying to hear negative personal attacks directed toward these caring citizens rather than spending that kind of energy to help find solutions to problems.
Because of my interest to see the GFHS campus better than it is, I have spent considerable time over the last several years thinking about how to do just that by master planning solutions for the very complex problem. In addition, I helped initiate the historic window replacement program, was involved with finding funding for most of the first batch of windows as a demonstration project and preserved the original school building and campus by assisting with placing it on the National Register of Historic Places. https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/13000097.pdf
There has been a lot said on this blog about Great Falls High School so I have decided to share my points of view on the subject. Not in response to other blog comments, but to offer my independent concerns and suggestions.
First, I would like to thank Superintendent Tammy Lacey for the time she and her team recently spent to meet with me to review and discuss their third architectural proposal for the much needed GFHS improvements. The District presentation can be seen at the following links where comments about their third proposal can also be made.
I am pleased to see that this third attempt in six years finally incorporates the campus connector where I have advocated and showed them in my architectural designs for that length of time. It is great that the District finally agrees that location for the connector is best and I encourage them to go forward with it.
Although I see the Districts and Bozeman/Seattle Architects proposal as a positive, albeit small, step forward, I believe that the District continues to miss the opportunity to create the best solution for a long term sustainable masterplan. I have many concerns about this third suggestion to the citizens, as I have also had for the two previously rejected plans.
The District’s third architectural proposal would regrettably destroy the beautiful Historic Campus and Kranz Park by arbitrarily throwing down surface parking lots that would have long winter walk times where trees would be removed and lawns would be eradicated. Their ideas seriously lack respect for the Heritage at GFHS by filling up the historic campus with surface parking lots and structures rather than creating a functional heart for the campus. Unfortunately, they propose cluttered spaces with cars, fenced outdoor storage yards, shops, service roads, and delivery trucks instead of facilities with sunlit learning plazas, an articulate all school student stair, and centrally located open areas for enjoyment of the existing and new landscaping.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S PROPOSAL FILLS UP THE HISTORIC CAMPUS WITH SURFACE PARKING LOTS AND STRUCTURES
The District’s third architectural proposal would unfortunately close the east/west pedestrian flow through the campus along the Fourth Avenue South corridor with intrusive walls that would become barriers that negate the residential neighborhood and greatly diminish functionality. That idea would force pedestrians on long time consuming and uneventful voyages around the perimeter of the campus rather than on plazas through the heart of the campus where the best access to the Stadium, Field House, and Main School Entrance should be. The District’s current ideas would be extremely uninviting rather than enhancing the campus with foresight and imagination.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S PROPOSED INTRUSIVE WALL THAT WOULD BECOME A BARRIER VIEW LOOKING WEST FROM 4TH AVE SOUTH AND 20TH STREET
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S PROPOSED INTRUSIVE WALL THAT WOULD BECOME A BARRIER VIEW LOOKING EAST FROM 4TH AVE SOUTH AND 18TH STREET
With hopefully an open mind and desire to achieve the best solution, I encourage the District to further minimize connection to the original Historic Structure, place the Commons/Hub/Dining where it will conveniently serve the students and stadium visitors, and save the historic campus by investing in a below grade centrally located three level parking structure that would replace the senior parking lot. With foresight to further achieve a long-term solution, the parking structure would be the foundation for an above grade education center at the upper plaza level.
“With hopefully an open mind and desire to achieve the best solution, I encourage the District to further minimize connection to the original Historic Structure, place the Commons/Hub/Dining where it will conveniently serve the students and stadium visitors, and save the historic campus by investing in a below grade centrally located three level parking structure that would replace the senior parking lot. With foresight to further achieve a long-term solution, the parking structure would be the foundation for an above grade education center at the upper plaza level.”
Rather than destroy our beautiful campus, my hope is that the District opens their minds to evolve the GFHS masterplan into a solution that respects, preserves, and broadens the significance of Great Falls High School’s historic original building that was recognized in 2017 by Architectural Digest Magazine as one of the Most Beautiful Public High Schools in America.
I encourage the District to work hard conceptualizing the GFHS masterplan until a suitable and fully integrated solution is realized. I recommend that they not rest until the design is respectful, sensible, dynamic, functional, economical, serviceable, and fun.
By Darrell A. Swanson-GFHS Class of 1965, Architect/Planner, and Tax Payer A portion of Darrell’s GFHS Master Planning Concept can be viewed at www.swansonarchitects.com The full presentation will be provided upon email request. He can be reached at darrells@swansonarchitects.com or 406.599.6910
A meeting yesterday between the City’s Planning staff and GFPS representatives about the District’s plan to buy the Campfire property located at 1925 2nd Avenue South, demolish the historic building and build a pocket parking lot, produced some disappointing news. It could also be viewed as some good news if you feel the District’s plan to purchase individual single-family properties around Great Falls High School to provide parking for about 100 cars is a bad decision and a poor planning objective.
Here’s the rub. The school district planned to provide 22 parking spaces on the 50’x150’ lot which could only be achieved by using the full width of the lot using the narrowest stall width allowable. Since the property by legal zoning definition is not contiguous to the GFHS property, separated by a public right-of way, 2nd Avenue South, the high school’s PLI (Public Lands and Institutions) zone cannot be extended to the Campfire property without a zone change. Any rezoning of the Campfire property would likely be viewed as illegal “spot zoning” by a court challenge.
The only other method allowing for a parking lot in the R-3 residential zone would be a conditional use permit, but as the title implies, there would be conditions on the development to protect the neighboring single-family property to the west. The condition would be a landscaped buffer between the parking lot and the house next door.
The buffering area would reduce the available parking lot area and thus the number of parking spaces that could be constructed. Since the District’s goal to place 22 spaces using a double-loaded drive lane is at the very minimum, 49’, and considering a 10’ buffer-strip, the total parking would likely be limited to 10 spaces using 10’ wide stalls.
As previously stated, the purchase price paid by the school district is $100,000. The cost to demolish the historic “Hi-School Store” would likely be $50,000, and the cost to construct the landscaped parking lot could be another $50,000. So, $200,000 invested using tax-payer dollars would likely amount to $20,000 per stall. Wow!
“As previously stated, the purchase price paid by the school district is $100,000. The cost to demolish the historic “Hi-School Store” would likely be $50,000, and the cost to construct the landscaped parking lot could be another $50,000. So, $200,000 invested using tax-payer dollars would likely amount to $20,000 per stall. Wow!”
For a moment consider the District’s intent to purchase more single-family properties in the vicinity of Great Falls High. Would some of those properties have homes on both sides requiring two “Buffers” and even produce fewer parking spaces, like maybe a single end to end row of 7 spaces? Using the same math that would be $28,000 per space.
Knowing that the school district educrats are not urban planners, or design professionals, who advised them to pursue the property purchase in an effort to solve the 50-year-old parking problem at Great Falls High School? Was it the District consultants from Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, or Seattle?
Is it time to think parking structure, solve the parking problem and end this foolishness? You tell us and the District, too!
The following was posted on Facebook by Great Falls mom Kelsie Semple on Tuesday, February 27th, 2018. E-City Beat is publishing the post with Kelsie’s permission.
The content is unedited. There are minor formatting edits for easier readability.
You can find responses from Big Sky Bus Lines and the Great Falls Public School District in KFBB’s news footage here.
“After what could have been a tragic event, I feel that it is my obligation AS A MOTHER to let everyone, who has young children that attend the Skyline Preschool, and ride Big Sky Bus Lines to school everyday, know what happened to my FIVE year old this morning!
At 8:06 this morning, I put my five year old daughter on bus #19 to start her every day routine to the skyline preschool. At around 945am, I received an automatic phone call saying my daughter was marked absent today. I then messaged my daughter’s teacher immediately, questioning why she was marked absent when I had placed her on the morning bus myself. She replied that my daughter was not at school and that she was going to call Big Sky Bus Lines, and told me ‘not to panic’. She called me after about 10 minutes and told my daughter never got off the bus! At this point I am put in a complete panic and wondering where my daughter is!!
Without any hesitation, I started to drive to the bus depot.
On the way there, a deputy from the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office called me and let me know that he had my daughter! So thankful that I put my name and number on the inside lining of her coat, I was able to meet up with him and the other families who had so graciously pulled off the side of the road to stay with my sweet Presley. Did I mention she was on the Old Havre HIGHWAY?!
She had fallen asleep on the bus and woke up at the bus depot, where she was able to push open the bus door and then run to find someone else because she was all alone. The families had said she was waving at cars on the side of the highway. And she described to me that she was “waving at people for help”.
My only intention in letting you all know about this extreme, unfortunate event is to, hold someone accountable! It is completely unacceptable!! If the bus driver and the teacher’s aide were following appropriate protocols, my daughter would NOT have been left on that bus, and would be enjoying her day at school, instead of being scared to be left alone again!
‘My only intention in letting you all know about this extreme, unfortunate event is to, hold someone accountable! It is completely unacceptable!! If the bus driver and the teacher’s aide were following appropriate protocols, my daughter would NOT have been left on that bus, and would be enjoying her day at school, instead of being scared to be left alone again!’
I can’t describe the feeling that came over me after hearing all of this happen this morning. And I am so unbelievably grateful for those who stayed and waited with her, and that no serious harm came to Presley today.”
Currently, GFHS has approximately 380 on-campus parking spots, which is by conservative measure about 300 short.
In order to address the parking shortage, the school district is planning to pursue three approaches.
The first, remove a substantial portion of the fabric of the picturesque and historic original campus landscaped open space on the northeast corner at 20th Street and 2nd Avenue South.
The beautiful treed campus is what makes Great Falls High School a very special and cohesive part of the neighborhood which can never be duplicated. A major reason why GFHS was selected as the most beautiful high school in Montana by Architectural Digest magazine.
The second, buy multiple single family residentially zoned 50’ x 150’ lots in the neighborhoods surrounding the school, rezone the properties, demolish the structures and build mini parking lots of no more than 20 parking space on each. The GFPS school board has already approved the purchase of the historic Campfire property and building at 1925 2nd Avenue South. The offer to pay $100K is contingent upon the City of Great Falls granting a zone change.
The third, is to acquire approximately 1/3 of Kranz Park to the west of Memorial Stadium for a large surface parking lot. This approach would also require a zone change.
Our architectural firm has advocated for a different approach to solve the parking problem at GFHS, structured parking on the existing one entire block of the practice Field. This became a real possibility when the school district installed an artificial surface in Memorial Stadium which now allows the football team to practice in the stadium.
The District’s options 2 and 3 requiring re-zoning of neighborhood single family properties and Kranz park will not be a “walk in the park, or the neighborhood” given the City’s attitude about liquidating park land, or approving “spot zoning”.
What is spot zoning?
From an article by ELYSSE JAMES | Orange County Register
March 13, 2012
“Spot zoning is when one area’s use differs from its surroundings; in this case, the surrounding area is designated as single family residential. It can be deemed illegal when it is not compatible with the existing zoning designations or with a community zoning plan.”
A judge has decided the Orange County Board of Supervisors used illegal spot zoning practices for a proposed senior living community in North Tustin that has been the subject of debate for three years.
The District’s first option should elicit a negative vote from the Montana State Historic Preservation Office and the Great Falls Historic Preservation Commission.
So why won’t the GFPS school district consider structured parking solution to the problem? They are currently saying and have repeatedly said in the past that they don’t have the $5M in available funds to build a parking structure for 300 cars.
Here’s the idea.
The district still needs to build a new Longfellow school. Why not use the much acclaimed design used for the new Giant Springs Elementary? The exact same school, but with a different name. That would save architectural and engineering fees and involve only minor changes; Maybe a different color palette. The new GSE is of relatively light weight construction and would be suited for soils conditions at the Longfellow site.
“The district still needs to build a new Longfellow school. Why not use the much acclaimed design used for the new Giant Springs Elementary? The exact same school, but with a different name. That would save architectural and engineering fees and involve only minor changes; Maybe a different color palette. The new GSE is of relatively light weight construction and would be suited for soils conditions at the Longfellow site.”
Students that happen to transfer from one school to the other would quickly recognize the same floor plan, where the offices were located, how to get to the restrooms, gym and library. Why try to reinvent the wheel?
The same contractor could be hired to build both schools and the district could potentially realize enough of a cost savings to make up the difference to build a parking structure at GFHS and solve a 50 year old problem without adversely affecting the GFHS campus, or the neighborhood surrounding it.
Well Tammy, tell us how you really feel about solving the parking problem at GFHS. Here’s what Superintendent Lacey wrote in a recent form Email to those who have expressed their feelings about the District’s plans:
“Finally I note that I would prefer not spending any money on parking.”
There exists an emergent trend in the local discourse these days, and it goes something like this: if you oppose something, but didn’t say so on the record at the meeting where it was discussed, then your ideas are not credible, and you need to shut up.
It’s an amusing fallacy that, while rhetorically effective to some, should be rightfully vilified as logically bankrupt by all.
Witness the hectoring from GFPS educator Kimberly Clark:
Notwithstanding the irony of Clark’s lecture on “keyboard warriors” from her keyboard, to Tryon’s point, some folks simply can’t get there. They’re at work!
To a degree, I appreciate the sentiment: it is more impactful to show up to a meeting and speak your peace. But that doesn’t work for everyone.
Many folks find public meetings uncomfortable. This is a small town, and to be candid, some of our local bodies are historically not the most friendly. (Anyone remember Dona Stebbins?) A lot of folks are understandably not in love with the notion of going “on the record” and taking a position where they, their business(es), and/or their children could be met with reprisals. I get it. And many people just aren’t natural public speakers.
Thankfully, in our ever-changing Republic, folks do have a voice — online, via social media, and on forums like E-City Beat.
Consider this: of the 250+ different servers who view our blog, Great Falls Public Schools delivers the fourth most views. That’s huge! While it is on one hand amusing that our educators and administrators read ECB’s content on our, the taxpayers’ dime on District-tethered devices (and that doesn’t count their personal machines, like smart phones), is it honest to suggest that the District is really unaware of our ideas, whether they are good, bad, or indifferent? Should Tryon have had to excuse himself from work to deliver ideas the District was privy to already? Alternatively, what if Tryon got a hall pass from work, and said that the plan to bury the Campfire building was a bad call? Would his ideas have magically had more merit had he physically attended the meeting?
Such is the pathology of some of our readers.
And Clark is amazingly among the more sensible adherents to this tenet.
In truly unhinged fashion, local attorney Robert Kamper suggested that if Tryon didn’t make a good faith effort to buy the Campfire building, then he should have had no voice:
Perhaps Kampfer, after downshifting to a more sensible position, has a sense of humor….. but his initial instinct was absurd on its face. It does dovetail, though, with the default settings of Angry Readers Dennis Granlie and Patrick Caniporilielie [sic], who question ad nauseam — despite their absence — whether or not I or anyone with the temerity to question the School District has attended the most recent School Board meeting. (Apparently, you can support a decision in absentia, but you can’t oppose one.)
It is rhetorical maneuvering masquerading as a legitimate argument, and it is cheap. It’s a copout from facing or discussing any real ideas. If you or I, or anyone else, happened to attend the last Board meeting that the Trustees were indisputably prepared to ignore, does that make our ideas — whether we agree or not — any more or less legitimate?
I have asked it, sincerely so, and I have still yet to see any real response…..
What about the zoning?
Forget who went to the meeting….. and honestly answer the question: what about the zoning?
Precisely no one has answered this question yet.
Here’s a guess: If the School District’s “plan”, such that it is, were advanced by Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Rick Tryon, Cyndi Baker, or any other known conservative, outrage from the same District defenders, over a plan predicated on spending millions of our tax dollars in the hopes that the City will break its own rules, would be through the roof — no matter who attended any meetings — and that tells you all you need to know.
Sadly, we have to report that the Great Falls Public School District, with a vote of 7 to 0, effectively decided to demolish the historic Hi School Store (Campfire building) at 1925 2nd Avenue South to make room for a small surface parking lot. With unanimous support of your elected school board trustees, the district’s administration can execute the buy-sell agreement dated 1-17-18 for $100,000 and move forward with their ill-advised attempt to solve the parking problem at Great Falls High School. (see my article, “Solutions Anyone”)
According to Superintendent Lacey, “Given the parking issues at GFHS, GFPS will continue to look for other properties to purchase” Tammy’s Top Ten on Tuesday Feb 20, 2018. I guess you had better hope your neighbor doesn’t sell his property to the District if you don’t want a parking lot next door.
“According to Superintendent Lacey, “Given the parking issues at GFHS, GFPS will continue to look for other properties to purchase” Tammy’s Top Ten on Tuesday Feb 20, 2018. I guess you had better hope your neighbor doesn’t sell his property to the District if you don’t want a parking lot next door.”
Since the property is zoned R-3 Single Family Residential it will have to be rezoned to allow a parking lot, as would all future residential properties purchased by the District. This would certainly seem to follow the accepted definition of ‘spot zoning’, which has been held to be illegal in most places. Would this be something the City Commission would be likely to do? Admittedly, the process to rezone the property is just starting and it has many hurdles to clear.
How will this, and other off-campus mini parking lots be paid for? Again, Lacey says; “Bond proceeds will be used for this purchase as well as any related improvements to it”; Tammy’s Top Ten on Tuesday Feb 20, 2018.
Does the District have a plan “B”?
On March 6th, 5:30PM, Lacey will make a presentation to the City Commission Work Session detailing why the school district would like to acquire approximately 1/3 of Kranz Park; almost 1 acre of park land, for a significantly larger surface parking lot. Maybe time for a little Joni Mitchell; “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”. Again, a zoning issue, an environmental issue and an economic issue.
Judging from past discussions led by previous Park and Recreation Director Joe Petrella, Kranz Park is not, and never will be, on the auction block. So it would seem there will be an uphill slog for the school district’s desired acquisition of Kranz Park. So much for plan “B”.
Unfortunately, the school district is steadfast in its rejection of structured parking as a solution to the parking problem at Great Falls High School.
Please let the GFPS School Board trustees know how you feel by sending them an email. Your single email will reach all seven board members.
And please weigh in on the E-City Beat Poll right now:
At the School Board meeting on February 2, 2018, on the agenda item concerning the sale of more bonds from the nearly $100 million dollar bond levy, the audience was asked to provide public comment. According to citizen Cyndi Baker, this is what happened next:
“I raised my hand and asked if there was a way the public could see information regarding the construction account — how much was in there, what checks were being written out of it. Brian Patrick said, ‘I never thought of that. I guess we could do that.’
Tammy Lacey said, ‘You can always make a records request for that information.’ I replied, ‘But you charge for that, sometimes hundreds of dollars. You guys are always talking about transparency and we are talking tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money. Why can’t that be on the website?’ No one replied after that comment.”
Baker has a point. The District IS always touting its commitment to “transparency.” Publishing an accounting of nearly one tenth of a billion dollars worth of expenditures would be a great way to shed some sunlight.
What do you think?
Is Baker right, and should the District post this information on its website?
Or do you agree with Superintendent Lacey, and should we citizens have to jump through the hoops and PAY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MONEY for the privilege of viewing OUR public records?
Do you subscribe to Superintendent Tammy Lacey’s newsletter? It’s called Tammy’s Top 10 on Tuesday. If you’re interested in public education in Great Falls, you should.
Not only does it have an alliterative title, it also contains a lot of useful, interesting information. One item that got my attention in yesterday’s letter was the third heading under point #4 about the Facility Project Update:
“The Board will also take final action at the Board meeting on Thursday to purchase property contiguous to GFHS on the corner of 20th Street and 2nd Ave. S. Bond proceeds will be used for this purchase as well as any related improvements to it. The bond language, approved by a majority vote, outlined approved expenditures to include, “…acquiring property contiguous to or in the vicinity of the Great Falls High School campus for additional parking.” Given the parking issues at GFHS, GFPS will continue to look for other properties to purchase.”
That’s the School District’s plan to solve the parking problem at GFHS. The District wants to buy up homes with bond money, raze them, and then convert the land into surface parking lots. According to the District, they are short 300-400 parking spaces for GFHS. Assuming a single lot can supply 20 parking spaces, that’s potentially 15-20 individual lots, not an insignificant number. This raises an issue I wrote about previously with the Campfire building:
“[The] property is currently a non-conforming use on a lot which is zoned R-3, Single Family Residential. Under the District’s plan the property would have to be rezoned and the immediate neighbors might not be too pleased.”
Look at this zoning map. Everything surrounding GFHS is zoned either R-3 or R-5. Can parking lots be built within R-3 or R-5 zoning? Not according to the City’s land use code (see p. 5).
So….. what about the zoning?
What if the residents who live in the area decide they would rather live next to the single family properties that they always have? What if these same residents object to the idea of high school kids zooming in and out of parking lots right next to their homes? What if they organize and mobilize against rezoning requests at the Neighborhood Council and Planning Board levels? What if the City considers all of this, and then determines that it simply is not in the best interests of the neighborhood to dice it up with a smattering of parking lots? What if the City decides that the land use code was implemented for a reason, and that it should be adhered to and followed? What if Craig Raymond and Tom Micuda and City staff DON’T rejoice at the prospect of littering the City grid with spot-zoned parking lots, one after another….. after another….. after another?
In other words, what if the City tells the School District, “No”?
Then what?
It’s amazing to me that this is the District’s stated approach. Let’s say you wanted to buy a property, and you wanted to buy it with X purpose in mind, only the property is zoned for Y. Would you expend your time, money, and resources to purchase the property with the hope that the City will bend its rules for you? (Now, assume you also have to repeat this process 15-20 additional times.) Or, would you search for alternative solutions?
To be fair, the School District has mitigated its (and our) financial risk by negotiating a rezoning contingency into the Buy/Sell. But what if the City approves the Campfire rezone, only to deny subsequent applications? The District would have spent probably close to $200,000 for one spec-sized parking lot that won’t come close to solving the actual problem.
In yesterday’s piece, “Another Bad Decision”, we questioned whether it would be wise for the GFPS District to purchase the existing historic Campfire Girls’ property at 1925 2nd Avenue South adjacent to Great Falls High School, demolish the building and construct a small parking lot for approximately 20 cars at an estimated cost of $10K per stall.
Most people commenting were outraged that the school district would be so foolish as to spend $100K of taxpayer’s money to buy the property and then tear down the historic structure and build a parking lot, another $100K, so small that it “would hardly make a dent” in the parking shortage at Great Falls High. Others were concerned about losing a valuable part of the school’s history. A couple of angry readers even commented, “don’t bring us problems, bring us solutions”, and “Put up, or Shut up”.
“To recap, Great Falls High has had a parking problem for at least 50 years, I know because I attended GFHS. This condition has caused homeowners in the area a good deal of angst for a long time.”
To recap, Great Falls High has had a parking problem for at least 50 years, I know because I attended GFHS. This condition has caused homeowners in the area a good deal of angst for a long time.
During the GFHS Master Planning process, the District floated several half-baked ideas which they felt could be solutions to the parking dilemma. One was to purchase a residential property on the northeast corner of 20th Street and 4th Avenue South, tear the existing home down and construct a surface parking lot. Another idea, and one that is now planned for execution, is to tear up a substantial portion of the northeast corner of the original campus to build a significantly larger surface lot.
Keep in mind that the entire 4-block original campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and not just the historic building itself. It’s a bad plan to make it look like Walmart.
Asphalt parking lots by their very nature are not environmentally friendly. They act as “heat sinks” which can cause increased loads on building cooling systems and they increase water run-off because they do not allow the ground to absorb water. Additionally, surface lots create stress to landscape materials, something that gives a unique character to the GFHS campus. Another bad idea.
Another “brilliant” district solution was to create parking behind the south scoreboard at Memorial Stadium which would necessitate the removal of a good portion of the wrought iron fence and brick columns with lichen covered capitals. Another bad idea.
OK, it’s time to “put up, or shut up”! Here’s the only solution short of buying a half, or a full block of houses adjacent to GFHS and tearing them down to create an “asphalt jungle”. It’s called structured parking, or what’s commonly called a parking structure.
Some will no doubt say: Where do we put a parking structure, how much will it cost, how will we control student shenanigans that could take place out of view?
As for the location. With the installation of the artificial surface already installed in Memorial Stadium, football players can practice on the playing field which frees up the practice field, one whole city block of flat property. The District retorts, but we have to have the track field events there. Not necessarily. Why not construct a softball field in Kranz Park for the school teams and neighborhood children? Given that the layout of a softball field is very close to the layout of field events, a portion of Kranz Park could serve multiple uses.
Of course costs could be lower in Great Falls, especially it the project was competitively bid. The cost of structured parking at last estimate by Carl Walker, Inc, a leading structured parking construction firm was $16,411 per stall in Denver, CO. For a 300 space parking structure that would total approximately $5M.
In 2007, Stadium High School in Tacoma, WA constructed a 200 space two level parking structure. According to Megan Lopez, administrator at SHS with whom I had a recent telephone conversation, their new facility uses video monitoring and routine patrolling and has experienced a minimal number of security issues. Students using the parking structure pay $50 for the entire school year which provides an ongoing revenue stream for the school. And on the roof deck there are 4 tournament tennis courts. Wow! In a city with a climate that deteriorates ground level tennis courts faster than we can repair them, Great Falls could certainly benefit from this innovative design. The court deck could even be covered with an air supported enclosure. Wow again!
Now, do you think the District could find $5M to solve the long-standing parking problem at GFHS. Maybe part of the $22M they plan to spend to upgrade all the classrooms in the historic building exclusive of mechanical, electrical and plumbing line items?
In conclusion, I have presented criticisms of the District’s plans, and solutions to most of the neighborhood councils for the past several years.
