Springfield (Mo.) district tears down 110-year-old elementary building

The 110-year-old York Elementary School in Springfield, Mo., is being demolished to make way for a new building.

The new school will have a gym that doubles as a storm shelter and will have additional security features including cameras, a better entrance and wide hallways, reports the Springfield News-Leader. 

Over the years, Springfield district officials have talked about closing the neighborhood school or turning it into an early childhood center. However, the new facility will be an elementary.

The existing York received multiple additions over the years; it did not have an elevator, and accessibility is an issue.

According to the district's website, voters approved a $168 million bond proposal in April 2019 to pay for facility improvements. The decision to build a new York emerged from the Community Task Force on Facilities.

For the 2021-22 year, York students and teachers will be temporarily housed in a former elementary school building. The new York is slated to open in August 2022.

The architect for the project is Sapp Design Architects.