Hinsdale Middle School Construction Moves Forward

HINSDALE, IL — District 181 recently approved a settlement agreement to end the ongoing litigation that had delayed the sale of bonds needed to finance construction of a new Hinsdale Middle School, according to a release. No appeal was filed, which means that the district can officially begin construction.

In a joint statement between District 181 Board President Jennifer Burns and Superintendent Don White, they said the lawsuit is officially over and on-site construction can start.

White and Burns said the district has started working with bond counsel on the sale of bonds, and a special board meeting will be held June 6 at the District 181 Administration Center to discuss next steps in the construction process.

In the statement, Burns and White said they were grateful to the District 181 community for continued support and patience over the last six months.

"We are excited to now move forward together in this journey and provide a quality learning environment for our students," the statement read.

HMS Project Owner’s Representative Kerry Leonard has been working diligently with the architect team from Cordogan Clark & Associates and the construction management team from Bulley & Andrews to proactively prepare for the start of construction so that once this clearance was given, construction could immediately start, according to a release.

Burns and White said collaborative planning and creative problem solving has allowed the district to maintain August 2018 as the target for opening a new Hinsdale Middle School, despite being approximately six weeks behind the original schedule due to litigation.

"We are also pleased to report that the project is currently on budget and that bond proceeds will be used to reimburse the District after borrowing $3.1 million from reserves to keep the project moving," the statement read.

The team will continue to work closely with the Village of Hinsdale in the months ahead, particularly in regard to planning for short-term temporary parking and the two-level parking deck that will be built to the immediate north of the school, according to a release. The team will also continue to work closely with HMS teachers and staff.

Rendering provided by District 181.