First look: Highland High School is getting a massive revamp. Here’s what’s planned.

The brand-new Highland High School will feature plenty of natural light, modern common areas and multi-use classrooms, according to initial design plans unveiled Monday evening.

The reveal comes nearly a year after voters approved a $730 million bond to fund “much-needed” upgrades at both Highland and West High School.

The first to see the sweeping plans were Highland students and their families, who gathered Monday evening at a school open house where Salt Lake City School District officials unveiled new 3D renderings.

Attendees included parent Nicole Behrmann, who called the plans “beautiful.” Behrmann has two kids currently attending Beacon Heights Elementary School. Her oldest will be starting at Highland about a year before the high school’s new main building is expected to be done.

“It’s time,” she said. “This building is ancient. I’m excited for the kids, and I think it really will help them, [and] have a positive influence.”

Highland’s portion of construction costs are estimated to run between $295 million to $310 million, officials with Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects, the firm hired by the district to lead Highland’s redesign, previously told The Salt Lake Tribune.

The most significant change is planned for the high school’s main building: It will be moved to the north end of the property, closer to 2100 South. That will take approximately five years to finish.

By the end of that time, the campus will feature an extra-large gymnasium, xeriscaped and water-efficient outdoor areas and what architects are calling “Ram Hall,” named after Highland’s mascot.

The hall will connect two of the new building’s main entrances, explained Philip Wentworth, vice principal of Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects.

He said they had to get creative with the space, since it sits on a “10-foot slope.” Architects ultimately decided on a combination of ramps and tiered platforms that incorporate seating where students can socialize, study or even eat lunch.

The concept transforms what could have been a typical hallway into a more productive, social space, Wentworth said.

Construction schedule

Overall, Highland’s design focuses on adaptability and functionality, architects say. Classrooms, for instance, are being built for multiple uses, with features like built-in partition walls.

They were also designed for multiple teachers to use them, architects said. Instead of assigning teachers to one classroom, for instance, Highland teachers can have a separate office and move between two or three classrooms throughout the day, similar to a collegiate environment.

That’s a major change, but the district is already preparing to train them on best practices for the planned system, District Spokesperson Yándary Chatwin said Monday.

Phase 1 of Highland’s construction is expected to wrap up around the end of 2028. That includes all student and academic spaces.

If all goes as planned, that means students could be stepping onto a new campus as early as January 2029, architects said.

Once that’s complete, Phase 2 will focus on administrative offices, counseling spaces and the media center. Architects said that construction is not expected to impact student learning.

Crews aim to complete that phase by fall 2030. The new academic campus will be roughly the same size as the current one, around 400,040 square feet.

Officials at the event also noted geothermal energy will fuel all of Highland’s heating and cooling, with a mix of solar and traditional power for electricity.

Salt Lake City School District Superintendent Elizabeth Grant, who attended Monday’s open house, said she appreciates the “simplicity of the floor plans.”

She thinks it will feel more cohesive, unlike the current school building, which has seen many different additions over the years.

“I think people will be stunned at what it means to have a modern building like this in our district,” Grant said.

No portables for students

When construction starts around March 2026, Highland students will be able stay in the high school’s existing building rather than move into portables.

Avoiding portables was a key factor in the Salt Lake City Board of Education’s decision to pursue the current rebuild plan, which allows the majority of the new building to be built before demolition of the current begins.

In 2022, the school board commissioned two separate feasibility studies for West and Highland high schools. The studies were carried out by different architectural firms, with multiple community and staff meetings held to gather input. The district also surveyed residents, gathering over 2,000 responses.

Paul Schulte, the district’s then-auxiliary services director, presented the results to the board in February 2023, outlining several rebuild options at various price points for Highland and West. Three options were proposed for Highland and four for West.

Board members finalized both plans last December after voters a month prior approved the bond to fund both rebuilds.

Initial designs for West High School are expected to be unveiled during a separate open house at the school Tuesday.

See the floor plans

The following are floor plans for the new Highland High School campus, presented Monday evening.