The Spokane School Board praised a neighborhood committee’s plan to remodel Lewis and Clark High, but stopped short Wednesday of endorsing a recommended $40.8 million overhaul of the stately landmark.

In a 40-page report, the committee said the district should modernize the school, buy three adjacent city blocks for athletic fields and build an underground parking garage.

“This would be a showcase of one of Spokane’s best historical buildings,” said committee chairman and architect Steve McNutt.

“This is one of the best-done committee studies I’ve seen in my career,” said Gary Livingston, Spokane School District 81 superintendent.

Remodeling Lewis and Clark is a top priority of the district, but administrators said voters won’t see a construction bond issue anytime soon.

Livingston said it will take at least a year for administrators to prepare a district-wide construction plan and bring it before the school board.

, DataTimes