Northwest Architectural Chosen To Design Both New Valley High Schools

The process for building Central Valley’s two new high schools marches on, one step at a time.

Northwest Architectural Co. has been recommended to design both schools, said Dave Jackman, the district’s director of auxiliary services.

The district and the design firm are currently in the process of negotiating a contract, Jackman said.

The architectural company was recommended by a 15-member committee that included school patrons, district staff, a school board member and a specialist in construction management.

Five firms applied for the project and, after interviews, two finalists were chosen. Committee members visited examples of the architects’ work and ultimately recommended Northwest Architectural, Jackman said.

In September, voters in the Central Valley School District approved a $78 million bond measure to rebuild both of the district’s high schools.

A new University High School will be built at 32nd and Pines. Central Valley High will be rebuilt at its current site.

Northwest Architectural is well known in the school projects arena.

Most recently in the Valley, the firm designed the new Liberty Lake Elementary School, said architect Steve McNutt of Northwest Architectural Co.

The firm also designed the new Mt. Spokane High School and was hired for the remodels of Mead and Lewis and Clark high schools. The company also has done several remodels of elementary schools in the Mead district, McNutt said.

“Swamped? Yes, we are. But just in the short term,” he said.

The projects the firm is currently working on will soon be bid for construction, McNutt said.

“All the school design teams will be available to focus on the CV projects” when the time comes, he said.