Public Input Opportunities Offered for Placemaking Plan of Mandan High School Site

Feb. 23, 2023 - In February, the City Commission voted to move forward with the creation of a placemaking plan for the existing Mandan High School site once construction is complete on the new high school. Together with stakeholders from Mandan Public Schools (MPS) and Mandan Parks and Recreation, the City will be working with the project team of Stantec and ICON Architects to identify future redevelopment opportunities for the 18-acre site. As part of this process, the team will consider redevelopment opportunities for the high school site and surrounding parking lot, while also incorporating the Brave Center and All Seasons Arena, which will remain community and school facilities.

Public Input Opportunity. Between now and mid-August, multiple opportunities for community feedback will be announced. A public information and input meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, in the Mandan High School Gymnasium from 6 to 8 p.m. There will also be opportunities at many upcoming community events such as Touch a Truck, Art in the Park, and others coinciding with the study schedule. A project website has been created for the public to learn more about this effort and follow along as the plan progresses.

In 2019, MPS conducted a facility assessment that evaluated the current conditions of school district facilities and addressed questions regarding whether the existing high school building could be adapted to suit 21^st century needs of students, faculty and staff. After determining the necessary facility upgrades would outweigh the costs of a new high school building, voters approved an $84 Million bond referendum to cover the costs for a new facility in north Mandan and a new Lakewood Elementary School. As the new high school is completed, we now have an opportunity to consider ways to utilize the site. Working in partnership with MPS and Mandan Parks, who own and operate the Brave Center and All Seasons Arena (respectively), the City is kicking-off this multi-month planning study.

Funding for this planning effort is provided through the U.S. Economic Development Administration Public Space Initiative – Placemaking Planning Grant. In 2022, Mandan was awarded $100,000 of this funding from the North Dakota Main Street Initiative specifically for this plan's creation. The Placemaking Planning Grant provides funding opportunities for projects that meet the four pillars of the Main Street Initiative. which are: Healthy, Vibrant Communities; 21^st Century Workforce; Smart, Efficient Infrastructure; and Economic Diversification.

Please contact City Planner Andrew Stromme by email or by calling 701-667-3225 with questions.