The Mishawaka School Board approved the first amendment to the lease agreement with the Mishawaka 2001 School Building Corporation last week, clearing the way for the district to issue bonds of up to $45 million for the construction of a new Hums Elementary School.
The new school will replace the existing building, which has served the community since the 1970s. Hebard & Hebard Architects, LLC, selected by the board in June, will design the new facility.
At that June meeting, the board laid out a plan to build the new school while the current building remains open. Construction is expected to take two years to complete, with the issuance of bonds anticipated later this year.
Richard Hebard, one of the architects, spoke about the design approach during the June meeting.
"Creativity doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. We design our schools with solid, durable materials," Hebard said.
With the approval of the amendment, the project is now one step closer to breaking ground.