Local taxpayers’ bill for Lincoln-Way High School’s $60 million expansion project decreased by almost $16 million last week.
The good news came in the form of a fax from Sam McGaw of the Illinois Capital Development Board notifying District Supt. Lawrence Wyllie that the Lincoln-Way project qualified for a construction grant of $15.9 million.
School officials have pledged to rebate the grant amount to the taxpayers.
According to Stacy Holland, administrative assistant for the district, a resident with a $150,000 home will see a rebate of about $25.
The new grant money will help pay for expanding Lincoln-Way’s freshman-sophomore East Campus in Frankfort and junior-senior Central Campus in New Lenox. The schools will be converted into two separate four-year high schools to avoid overcrowding as enrollment skyrockets.
The project includes a swimming pool for each campus, separate athletic fields and a new auditorium at the Central Campus.
Without expansion, the student body, which now totals more than 4,300 students is expected to exceed existing buildings’ combined capacity of 5,000 students within a few years.
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The grant funds will come in two installments: $2,727,651 in fiscal 1998 and $13,263,598 in fiscal 1999.
Some outdoor site work is due to begin next month, and the project is expected to be completed in 2001.
School officials said they are especially grateful for the support they got from State Rep. Renee Kosel (R-New Lenox), a former Lincoln-Way School Board member.