By: Diana Johnsen
djohnsen@kcautv.com
Since its opening in 1949, the Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City has seen its share of wear and tear.
From old worn out classrooms to bands having no auditorium to perform in, the school is simply in need of a new building.
"It's aged for its time," said Bishop Heelan Freshman, Matt Rodasky. "It's not as well supported. The heaters don't work as well. It's not as insulated."
The school has now heard the cry from its students and parents and is building a brand new building right across the street.
The two phase process will start with a new fine arts building.
The building is set to open in 2014 and will include new art, vocal, and band classrooms as well as a new auditorium that will fit over 600 people.
The new auditorium will be a far cry from the old gym that the school's music programs have had to perform in for so many years.
"This will give our students the opportunity to perform on campus, to get a dress rehearsal in that performance space and really for all our productions to have a quality acoustic environment," said the high school's band director, Michael Prichard.
The projected cost of the new fine arts wing is about $15 million dollars, a lot of which has been raised by the community.
"I think it's an important symbolic day that we realize we've reached this goal and what a community can do when it comes together," said school Interim President, Dr. Dan Ryan.
The second phase of the new high school will be the addition of a new gym, classrooms, labs, and offices.
Its projected cost is about $10 million dollars.
