Expanded Music Department At LTHS South Campus

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Lyons Township High School officials are planning an expanded music department at South Campus.

It would take up the space of the current cafeteria, which is being moved to a proposed addition in a campus courtyard. The school board discussed the plan at its meeting Monday.

Under the plan, the band, choral and orchestra rooms would be larger.

"We have been working with an acoustical engineer to make sure there is appropriate acoustical separation between (the rooms). That's an issue you have now," Ed Wright of Itasca-based DLA Architects told the board.

The renovations would include a percussion room for drum-line and percussion practice, said.

Also in the plans are an ensemble room and "flex" spaces.

"You're severely lacking for these areas to have larger group meetings," Wright said.

The music area renovation is expected to cost $6 million to $6.5 million.

Along with the lunchroom addition, the school plans to go out to bid in late January. Ground could be broken as early as April, Wright said.