Long Range Facilities Project    
Since April 2006, a lot of work has been done related to the Long Range Facilities Project by Johnson Controls, the Citizens Group assisting with this project, and many people involved in the Duluth Public Schools.  This includes more than 10,000 hours of analysis by local and regional experts and thousands of hours of ongoing community conversation. We will continue to share information and gather considerations throughout this important project.

The school board approved the plan in June of 2007 and the Minnesota Department of Education approved the majority of the project in November of 2007. 

On April 24, 2008, the school board received information regarding potential sites for the Lincoln Park/Piedmont elementary school and the western middle school.  The site criteria and ranking characteristics are the culmination of an in-depth, 6-month review by local architectural design firm LHB, ISD709, JCI and the City of Duluth.  The properties are ranked by Primary Site Characteristics, which are those related to the long-term viability of the new facility over 75 years.  Secondary Characteristics are those which affect the facilities' viability over 20 years or less. 

Primary site characteristics include:

• Site size, based on Minnesota Department of Education requirements
• The ability to expand/modify the facilitity for future curriculum or student population
• Neighborhood access
• Community access
• Parks
• Location of building within geographic school boundary and relative to student population
• Topography/Configuration

Secondary site characteristics include:

• City of Duluth Comprehensive Plan guidelines
• Need for property acquisition
• Wetlands/Shoreland/Flood Plain
• Cost of providing full utility service and long term maintenance items
• Storm water
• Soil types
• Site development costs
• Tax generation

See below for a full report, including the ranking characteristics of each site.

We continue to invite your thoughts and ideas as we implement the long-range facilities plan by emailing Keith Dixon at mailto:keith.dixon@duluth.k12.mn.us or sending a letter to Keith Dixon, Superintendent, Duluth Public Schools, 215 North 1st Avenue East, Duluth, MN  55802.