Salt Lake City School District officials on Wednesday formally kicked off Highland High School’s massive $300 million rebuild.

The groundbreaking took place on the north end of the campus, near 2100 South, where in a few years, the school’s new main academic building will stand.

“This will be a monument to learning and to teaching for decades,” Salt Lake School District Superintendent Elizabeth Grant told the crowd of about 100, including students and staff. “It’ll be a beautiful modern building.”

Local school board member Bryan Jensen said the gathering marked more than the start of construction.

“It’s a commitment to the next generation of Rams that their school will match their potential,” he said.

Student Body President Norman Genda added that “years from now, students will walk these future halls, sit in these classrooms, and be a part of something bigger than themselves without realizing it all started here.”

What exactly is planned?

The most significant change is planned for Highland’s main building: It will be moved to the north end of the property, close to where the groundbreaking took place. That will take approximately five years to finish.

By that time, the campus will also feature an extra-large gymnasium, xeriscaped 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. Philip Wentworth, with Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects, has said the design team had to get creative with that 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 a typical hallway into a more productive space, Wentworth said.

Highland first opened in 1956.

The groundbreaking comes nearly a year and a half after Salt Lake City voters in November 2024 approved a $730 million bond to fund the district’s much-needed upgrades to West and Highland high schools.

Officials unveiled final designs for West and Highland last year, both featuring ultramodern architecture, multi-use classroom spaces and plenty of natural light.

Each project is estimated to cost around $300 million, and they currently are projected to stay within budget, district spokesperson Yándary Chatwin said.

West’s groundbreaking ceremony was held last month.

A portion of Sugar House Park will be impacted

Highland’s expansion will reshape a section of Sugar House Park near the school, north of Parley’s Creek.

That’s because the district plans to “reclaim” its roughly half-acre of land that’s currently in use by the park, Chatwin said.

The reclaimed land will be converted into parking spaces and new tennis courts, she said. Right now, much of that area is steep hillside dense with mature trees.

The district plans to remove 32 of those trees, along with the horseshoe pits and volleyball court now in the area. For every tree that’s removed, the district says it will replant two.

The Hidden Grove Pavilion will remain, but it won’t be available to rent during construction. That phase of the project isn’t expected to begin until 2029 Chatwin said.

The new Highland High is slated for completion by 2030. West may take a bit longer, with an estimated completion date between 2031 and 2033.