Construction crews have been steadily reshaping the campus of Palmer High School near downtown Colorado Springs, and the project's first major phase is approaching a key handoff. The $100 million renovation began in May of last year and has been unfolding around an active student population the entire time.
The overall plan calls for demolishing several existing buildings, modernizing classrooms, and creating a new athletic field area. Work is being carried out in phases, with the new academic wing representing the first, after which crews will shift their attention to the historic 1939 building.
District officials said keeping students on campus throughout the process has required careful coordination. Jessica Wise, executive director of engagement for Colorado Springs School District 11, described the effort as deliberate, saying "we've never taken students off site" and that it has been "a careful process of allowing students to continue learning in Palmer while we're building this," with only a brief window during one summer to accelerate certain work.
The new academic wing is expected to open in February of next year. Full completion of the entire renovation project is anticipated in 2028.
District officials have not yet announced a public opening event for the wing, and timelines for subsequent construction phases remain to be confirmed as work progresses.