October 2, 2024
On July 2, 2024, members of the Flagstaff Unified School District’s (FUSD) Budget Oversight Committee (BOC) and governing board members toured the construction at Coconino High School (CHS), focusing on the remodel of the school’s mini auditorium and the surrounding outdoor plaza.
During the tour, Superintendent Michael Penca expressed his enthusiasm for the project’s progress, highlighting the significant upgrades and their positive impact on the school community.
“The committee toured the construction sites of the remodeled auditorium and plaza at Coconino High School,” Penca reported to the FUSD Governing Board on August 13. “There’s an outdoor plaza that could serve as a gathering space, and we addressed the drainage issues that had plagued that area. All of us were really impressed with the project and, again, extremely grateful for our partners.”
Penca explained that the partners involved in the renovation included the DLR Group as the architectural and engineering design team, and CORE Construction as the general contractor. The design featured large stone slabs that created a welcoming outdoor space while addressing previous drainage problems at the site. Inside the auditorium, the renovations transformed the space into a professional-grade theater. The interior design incorporated the school’s black and red colors, with new seats installed and substantial upgrades made to the audio-visual equipment.
Superintendent Penca praised the enhancements.
“It was really well done, and a huge upgrade to the technology and audio-visual equipment. I couldn’t wait to hear some of our talented students read poetry in there, sing, do stand-up comedy—whatever our kids decided to do in this wonderful space,” he said.
The mini auditorium project was initiated after the FUSD Governing Board approved a construction contract with CORE Construction in December 2023, totaling $3,075,447. The project broke ground in January 2024 and was expected to be completed by the fall. Funding for the project primarily came from the 2018 and 2022 bond dollars, with additional contributions from district funds allocated through Medicaid, Capital, and Adjacent Ways.
In addition to the mini auditorium, the construction included site upgrades designed to enhance safety, accessibility, and functionality. These upgrades extended to the South Commons area, site drainage near the south parking lot, and improvements along the Izabel Street frontage.
FUSD also utilized funds from the 2022 Bond, passed in November 2022, to support various campus-specific projects. As part of these efforts, additional exterior improvements to the entryway of Coconino High School were completed in tandem with the mini auditorium renovation.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the new mini auditorium was held on September 6, 2024.
