BRANCHING OUT Ladue recently decided to expand the parking lot by purchasing a home close to the school.
District buys property for parking lot expansion
Ladue School Board purchases house near student lot for additional parking
Despite this, some students are still ambivalent about the planned expansion. They believe that an expansion of the lot could exacerbate some of the problems that already he Ladue School District purchased a private propexist within the current system. erty on the edge of the north lot of the high school “I don’t really like that idea,” junior Lilly Tung said. “I think Aug. 17, which the district plans to use as an expanit would get way too crowded, and spots could get further sion of the current student lot. The expansion would add and further from the building.” approximately 60-80 parking spaces to a parking lot that However, the district still does not have a clear timeis consistently in high demand from table for when the expansion will take students. Once the new stadium is place. Currently, the city is renovating an complete, there could be an even antiquated sewer line that stretches from Now, knowing that higher demand for parking. Tilles Park into St. Louis City. They have The opportunity to expand the parking lot is being completed a majority of the project on the school’s parking lot first came expanded, I feel like I’ll have both sides and are now heading toward when the property located on 1039 the high school for the final phases of the a better opportunity of Warson Road, directly to the right of construction project. the school’s already existing north lot, receiving a parking spot. “The [Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer opened for sale earlier this year. District] has to work through whether the “Opportunities like this don’t come [sewer] line itself is going to be bored, [so] up often, where you have somebody that is right next to they’re essentially going to drill underneath the ground, or a school that wants to sell,” Principal Brad Griffith said. “I’m if it will be open-trenched,” Griffith said. glad that the school board made this decision, which is a According to Griffith, if the Metropolitan Sewer District very good long-term decision for the school.” needs to tear apart the north lot to rebuild the sewer, the Along with increasing the number of available parking district would prefer not to invest in expanding the parking spaces, the district also plans to improve the landscaping lot only to rip it up for the sewer project and reconstruct around the campus. For freshman Karina Dravina, an init afterward. Due to this uncertainty, the timeline for the crease in student parking is necessary because she feels the expansion still remains unclear. current lot is inadequate. “We have to work with MSD, work with the city [and] “I feel that a parking lot expansion is needed in order work with all the various entities to ensure that our stufor things to run smoothly,” Dravina said. “Now, knowing dents remain safe during this phase of the project and that that the parking lot is being expanded, I feel like I’ll have a it’s completed in the least disruptive manner for the operabetter opportunity of receiving a parking spot.” tions of the school and our students,” Griffith said. CINDY WANG staff writer | @cindy_wang_123
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11.27.2018
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