HPISD Roundup: Preservation Push Could Delay Hyer Construction
The Texas State Board of Review, which reviews applications for buildings to be considered for the National Register of Historic places, has pushed discussions on Highland Park’s Hyer Elementary back to May, per HPISD Superintendent Tom Trigg.
The school’s nomination to the National Register is “concerning” to Trigg and HPISD board members.
Having a building named to the National Register of Historic Places does not keep it from facing demolition, but it is a prerequisite to being considered a State Antiquities Landmark – which could keep demolition from taking place, or delay construction for a new Hyer Elementary. Board members are worried that having the school named to the National Register would throw a wrench into future plans for the building.
“We officially opposed the nomination,” Trigg said. “[Being named to the Register] doesn’t keep the building from being demolished, but it is the first step in being named a State Antiquities Landmark, which could keep it from being demolished against the wishes of our community, which voted for new schools more than three years ago.That was a concern to us. If we are forced to do anything different than what we have planned for Hyer, it would cause a delay for us, and most likely a lot of money.”
Trigg added that, if the district were to redraw building plans, that would be equally expensive.
“We have a lot of architectural dollars tied up there,” he said. “Worse case, we might have needed to – or need to – open the school a year later.”
Trigg and Jim Hitzelberger, board president, are scheduled to meet with their attorneys prior to the May decision by the Commission.
Other district news:
- January is School Board Appreciation Month, and in Highland Park, the theme is “seeds of success.” Students from different grade levels in HPISD presented the board members with flowers.
- A mid-day education services meeting was held the same day as the board meeting. That meeting was focused on more dyslexia training for district employees and teachers; an overview of the curriculum; and discussions on a community-based accountability system.
- The Highland Park High School football team was honored for its’ third straight state championship.
- The 2019-2020 school calendar was approved
Hyer is not “currently empty”. It is being utilized as Bradfield Elementary, while their new school is being constructed. Get your facts straight.
Thank you for catching that! It has been changed in the story.
The part that of this story that concerns me the most is the idea that the state may end up with final say of the “overall use of the building”. Who knows what that could mean for our district in the future. Losing control of the use of one of our facilities to the state wouldn’t be a positive outcome at all. I think it’s time for the Hyer community to honestly contemplate the potential consequences of these decisions, seek more compromise with the district and cede the fight for such tight control over the construction of this school – before they loose it altogether.