January 5, 2023 – Collinsville Community Unit School District #10, Caseyville Public Library District, FGM Architects and Holland Construction representatives gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the beginning of construction for a new Caseyville Elementary School.
“We are excited to see the construction of a new Caseyville Elementary begin and look forward to the positive impact the facility will have on our students, staff and community for years to come. This endeavor has taken a team effort to get where we are today and we are grateful for the work put forth by our board of education, district staff, and our partners at FGM and Holland,” said CUSD 10 Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich.
The new Caseyville Elementary will be built directly behind the current building and face Second Street. When the new school is complete, the existing school building will be razed to become parking and green space.
The new school’s design provides an ADA compliant state-of-the-art learning environment with larger classrooms, adequate space for support services, a modern gym/cafeteria, dedicated conference room, improved restrooms and better air quality. In addition, organized pick-up and drop-off areas for cars and buses will improve traffic flow around the school during peak times.
The lobby will feature a large mural utilizing images of Caseyville students and positive messages shared in both English and Spanish. The goal is to reflect the spirit of the community and school district.
The plans also include an all new Caseyville Public Library building to be constructed alongside the elementary school. The side-by-side structures represent a partnership between the school district and the Caseyville Public Library District to better serve the Caseyville community.
The existing Caseyville Elementary, located at 433 S. Second Street in Caseyville, was built in 1935, with additions added in 1948 and 1951-61. The property covers four acres and has 20 classrooms. Recent demographic trends and essential infrastructure updates needed to make the school compliant with modern day learning led Collinsville CUSD 10 leadership to explore options to finance and construct a new school building.
The current library, built in 1998, sits just outside the existing Caseyville Elementary grounds on Second Street. There has been an ongoing natural partnership between the two entities for years, but once CUSD 10 started looking at ways to utilize the land under and around the school to create a new campus, the location of the library became a key factor.
The school district acquired the library property through an intergovernmental agreement. Following the official deed transfer in January 2022, part of the IGA between the district and library is a long term lease arrangement for the use of the current building and the new facility.
The new Caseyville Elementary School campus will be built using local and grant funding. The projected cost is $20 million. Work on the construction site commenced in late December 2022 and is expected to take 18 months to complete. FGM Architects designed the campus. Holland Construction serves as the construction manager.
The undertaking to build a new Caseyville school from the ground up is the first project of its kind in Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 since Collinsville Middle School was constructed in 2003.
“This opportunity for the students, staff and Caseyville community is not only a privilege, but an unwavering demonstration of support from our district administration and board of education,” said Caseyville Principal Chelsea Clark, “Their dedication to make this a reality and bring our dreams and needs to fruition is greatly appreciated by all. I am excited to see the transformation of Caseyville Elementary School today, and the future possibilities that it will provide our students and staff for years to come.”
To watch the new school grow from the ground up, use THIS LINK to view a live webcam.