School bond to purchase “The Olympian” building

A $160 million dollar school bond issue in the Olympia School District will also contain money to buy “The Olympian” newspaper building and adjacent property.   Total cost of the purchase is $5 million.  The building will be used for a new district office.

Olympia School District Superintendent Dick Cvitanich said the move is necessary to allow Avanti High School to remodel and expand.   Both are currently located in the old Washington Junior High building on Legion Way.

At $160 million, the Olympia School District bond issue is the largest bond measure ever on the ballot in the Olympia School District and is $40 million more than the North Thurston bond issue a few years back.

Cvitanich said the money is needed to meet an expected district student increase of 1400 in the next ten years, remodel existing buildings to meet the requirements of smaller class size in K-3 grades and to upgrade safety and security features.  The bond issue, along with a replacement school levy will be on the February ballot.

Cvitanich said the district could move into the Olympian building without major remodeling, and would do additional remodeling and renovations only after all the other district needs are met.