Hurricane-damaged Louisiana high school reopens main building after 18 months

A year and a half after Hurricane Ida ripped opened the roof at Destrehan High School in Destrehan, La., students have returned to the heart of the campus.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that renovations of the school's heavily damaged main building have transformed a dank and cavernous locker pit into a huge, brightly lit gathering space furnished with high-top tables and couches that feature plugs and databanks for recharging laptops and electronic devices.

Officials with the St. Charles Parish district say the goal of the $4.5 million renovation was to give students a state-of-the-art learning facility and experience.

The renovations were unveiled to students on Feb. 27.

In August 2021, Hurricane Ida spent six hours stalled over St. Charles Parish. The storm's winds damaged all of the district's facilities, but Destrehan High had the most significant damage.

The roof collapsed over the school's main building, which housed the administrative offices, the auditorium, the cafeteria and the library. The damage forced Destrehan High students to spend four months attending classes at Hahnville High School in Luling.

Classes resumed at Destrehan's campus on Jan. 18, 2022. But temporary walls closed off large sections of the main building while repairs were completed.