Parking Plans for BHS: 2025-2026
Dear Berkley Schools Community,
Over the next year and a half, Berkley High School will undergo major building improvements due to the Bond work, and you will begin to see our construction teams preparing the site in the upcoming weeks. These improvements represent a major milestone in our commitment to providing our students with state-of-the-art spaces that will foster their growth and learning in many areas including: academics, athletics, performing arts, and a new space for our Adult Transition Program and Robotics.
One of the first changes you will likely notice or experience is the impact on student and staff parking. The detailed information below outlines the project work, the project timeline and the impact projects will have on parking. Please read through to the end, as construction will cause many parking spaces to be closed this school year and the next school year. To learn more about the overall Bond and Sinking Fund projects, please visit our Bond website and review our monthly updates.
To prepare the community for the construction work, changes in parking lot availability for our students and to share details of the Bond work, the community is invited to attend a meeting at Berkley High School on March 12, 2025 at 7 pm in the Auditorium. Guests will have a chance to see renderings of the new work, hear how the District is working with students regarding parking and where patience is needed through October 2026. Berkley High School neighbors are encouraged to attend.
The following project updates are listed in order by our target completion date and includes scope details and potential impacts on the high school. Also included below is a map of the upcoming parking lot closures.
Pool Upgrades: March 2025 - August 2025
The BHS pool will receive a face lift. The following projects are included in the 2025 work: tile repair, new starting blocks, new diving board, new HVAC system, new lights, painting the ceiling and walls (while preserving the student artwork), new scoreboard and timing system and updating the office. In summer 2026, the pool's mechanical and chemical systems will be replaced.
- Construction Begins: March 2025
- Construction Ends: August 2025
- Parking Impact: No parking impact
Black Box Theatre / Choir Room: March 17, 2025 - January 2026
A Black Box Theatre / Choir Room will be built just east of the BHS orchestra room and Auditorium entrance. This addition will house a choir room by day, Black Box Theatre after school and an instrument commons for band and orchestra instrument storage.
- Construction Begins: March 17, 2025
- Construction Ends: January 2026
- Parking Impact: The Sunnyknoll parking lot will be reduced in half in order to accommodate the construction trailer, truck deliveries and staging area. By law, handicapped spaces will also be reserved. Student parking passes will no longer be enforced and this lot will be multipurpose for staff and student parking.
Performing Arts Center: May 1, 2025 - January 2026
The BHS Auditorium and Auditorium lobby will undergo a major renovation, replacing seats, walls, stage elements, backstage rooms, storage, sound booth, lights and all finishes. An addition will also be added north of the building attached to the current Auditorium lobby to expand the gathering space for school performances.
- Construction Begins: May 1, 2025 - following the Spring Musical
- Construction Ends: January 2026
- Parking Impact: The BHS drop off loop will be closed on May 1, 2025, to accommodate the Performing Arts Center construction, truck deliveries and staging. This will close all parking spots connected to the drop off loop as well as the parking spots behind the Auditorium. All families will be asked to use the lot across from the high school (The BEAR Complex lot) for student drop off from May 1 - June 1, 2025. Families are not allowed to come to a stop on Catalpa to drop off students. Public safety will issue tickets to those that do not follow the drop off rules. Staff will relocate parking to the lot by the West Gym and if staff cannot fit there, they will park in the Sunnyknoll lot. The drop off loop will reopen for school starting in August 2025.
The Den Construction: March 2025 - August 2025
The Den, formerly known as Cana Lutheran Church, will be under construction to create two new spaces: a new home for the Adult Transition Program and a practice and build space for the BHS Robotics team.
- Construction Begins: March 2025
- Construction Ends: End of August 2025
- Parking Impact: The current small church parking lot on Catalpa will be used for the construction crew and for construction staging. The Cana church-goers will park in the Sunnyknoll lot during weekend services only, and their staff will park on Henley in the street during work days.
The BEAR Complex: April 2025 - October 2026
The BEAR Complex, the space across from the high school on Catalpa, will be the home of the new 60-yard indoor fieldhouse, outdoor 120-yard turf field, outdoor grass field and a new expanded parking lot. This space will be used by athletes, musicians, students and community members. The indoor fieldhouse will include four straight 40 yard lanes of track, a weight room, a team room, an athletic trainer room and netting for multi-sport use. This large project will take a year and a half to complete.
- Construction Begins: April 2025
- Construction Ends: October 2026
- Parking Impact: The current parking lot across from the high school will remain open through June 1. The community will begin to see work on the maintenance building in April with asbestos abatement and demolition after the Robotics season is complete. Once the parking lot closes, it will not reopen until the project is complete in October 2026. The current lot is primarily a student parking lot and the students will need to relocate to the Sunnyknoll lot or to legal street parking. For after hours events, visitors will be directed to park near the West Gym for athletics and in the Sunnyknoll lot for other events.
Science Wing Update: June 2025 - October 2025
The BHS science wing will undergo a full renovation updating classrooms and the current labs. Classrooms will be back online by the beginning of the school year and labs will open in late October.
- Construction Begins: June 2025
- Construction Ends: October 2025
- Parking Impact: No parking impact
Student Impact
Parking during the school day will be impacted the most. Due to limited access to parking spots starting March 17, 2025, BHS parking passes will no longer be enforced. Students will be encouraged to car pool and students who live close will be encouraged to walk to school, rather than drive. We anticipate an increase in street parking through October 2026 in the surrounding areas. As a result, we are hopeful the community will show students grace and patience as we navigate arrival and dismissal. Additionally, we will always encourage students to park legally, be good citizens in the community and represent Berkley High School with pride.
We will continue to work to find solutions to mitigate congestion and promote safety. The District is investigating parking at or near Anderson and in city lots for our students. To help mitigate after-hours congestion, all non-BHS events traditionally held in the auditorium have been relocated to other schools in the District.
If you have any questions, we encourage you to attend the community meeting on Wednesday, March 12 at 7 pm in the Auditorium. If you cannot make it, please email questions to communications@berkleyschools.org.
Sincerely,
Scott Francis
Superintendent
Berkley Schools
