Facilities Master Plan

Oak Park and River Forest High School soon will begin the most significant renovations to its campus in 50 years. Facilities Master Plan Project 1 is part of a long-term, comprehensive plan for facilities work that comprises three parts:

  1. Imagine OPRF: The creation of a facilities master plan was an outcome of the Imagine OPRF Work Group process. Formed in spring 2017, the Imagine OPRF Work Group was charged with making recommendations to the Board of Education for a fiscally responsible facilities master plan that supports equity and current and future academic programming needs. Imagine OPRF was a largely community-based, 40-member committee that spent approximately 15 months conducting intensive research and gathering stakeholder input to identify facility needs.
  2. Capital improvements: Given that the various sections of the high school were constructed anywhere from 50 to 110 years ago, upkeep of our vintage building is essential. Each summer, the district does significant maintenance work, such as installing new roofing, replacing outdated mechanicals, and tuckpointing.
  3. Health/Life Safety work: Illinois School Code requires that every public school building undergo a comprehensive inspection every 10 years, to ensure that the facilities protect the health, safety, and general welfare of students, staff, and others who use them. Schools are then given a list of any issues they must remedy. Current Health/Life Safety work at OPRF includes installing a new fire alarm system with a mass notification system.

Facilities Master Plan Project 1

The district is working with FGM Architects to design this project, which will include construction/renovation of the following:

  • 76 general education classrooms
  • Classrooms, kitchen, laundry area, sensory room, and ADA-compliant restroom for the Special Education TEAM (Transitional Education with Access to the Mainstream) program
  • First phase of student commons (east first, second, and third floors)
  • Student resource center (library and tutoring center)
  • South Cafeteria
  • Main entrance
  • All-gender restrooms
  • Three science labs
  • Daycare facilities (infant room)
  • ADA-compliant elevator in the north end of the building

This portion of the project will break ground in June 2020 and has a cost of $32,631,500. Funding will come from existing cash reserves, thereby avoiding a tax increase to property owners and preserving the district’s debt-free status.

Project 1 also includes $16 million in capital improvements and $5.1 million in Health/Life Safety work.

For more information, see the links to the right.