Vote To Demolish Lc Annex Gains More Public Support

Thu., Jan. 28, 1999

Amy Scribner Staff writer

Most Spokane citizens think the District 81 school board did the right thing when it voted to demolish the Lewis and Clark High School administration building, a group told board members Wednesday night.

“The silent majority out there support your decision,” said Bob Wigert, who has four children who will attend LC.

About a dozen educators and parents voiced their support for the renovation project - including replacing the school’s 1908 administration building, known as the annex.

The speakers were largely preaching to the choir, since preservation ists scrapped plans to appeal to the school board Wednesday to reconsider the demolition.

Members of the Save the Administration Building Project (SAP) say they need more time before going back to the board.

The group is researching a lawsuit to halt the demolition of the annex, which would take LC off the National Register of Historic Places.

They say they’ll also ask legislators to refuse state funding for the project if the building is razed, and they’re working to get the annex placed on a national endangered buildings list.

“I don’t think the school board would listen to us right now,” said chairman James DePaolo. “We need more ammo.”

The Spokane Education Association voted this month to advocate the LC restoration.

District officials welcomed the absence of critics Wednesday.

District spokeswoman Terren Roloff stressed a drawn-out lawsuit could stall or even end the LC renovation. The district has stringent guidelines for turning in design plans to qualify for state matching funds released this summer.

The district is counting on $13.5 million in state money to help pay for the $41 million project.

The LC renovation claims a large chunk of a $74.5 million bond passed by voters last year. Roloff said if this project is halted, the LC work might not be approved if it appeared solo on a future ballot.

ON TV A half-hour segment with an update on the LC renovation runs daily through the rest of January at 7 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on “School Talk,” on TCI Channel 17.

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