Could Mt. Pleasant High School be demolished? Renovated? Here's what we know.

Mount Pleasant High School may be demolished or renovated – the latest move from the Providence Public School District and the Rhode Island Department of Education as both weigh which buildings are worth further investments.

Locals learned the news in a heated community meeting on Monday night hosted by Providence Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan, who represents Ward 5 and the neighborhood where the school resides.

What are the options for Mount Pleasant High School?

Those at the meeting were presented with three options for the roughly 85-year-old structure: Rehab it; tear it down and build anew; or leave the core of the building standing – which contains the auditorium – but perform a partial demolition and build new class space behind it.

In total, the district has $110 million available from a state and local bond passed last year, possibly making only one option affordable: the demolition and rebuilding. A PPSD presentation stated there should be "sufficient funding" for that option, while a renovation would cost about $190 million and a partial demolition and new building might cost $120 million.

Councilwoman says it is too early to say what will happen to the school

Ryan emphasized that the meeting was only the start of the process and that it was too early to say what would happen next, though anger erupted from some in the crowd. Ryan said there were about 20 people present who protested the Department of Education.

"I had a number of distractors who came and just wanted to scream," the councilwoman said. "I had a number of teachers and and community members who came up and said they were overwhelmed at times by some of the screaming that was going on. But the reality is, it was a productive discussion and it's the first of more to come."

Andrew Grover, an artist who lives near the school and is known for his Lego models of historical Rhode Island buildings, was also at the meeting and spoke out against the potential demolition of Mount Pleasant.

Recapping his comments for The Providence Journal, Grover said the city's beloved PVDFest commissioned him in 2018 for one of his creations. He chose Mount Pleasant High School as the subject, in awe of its beauty. Now, Grover said, "The destruction of this building is unthinkable to me."

"I am very proud that at one point in time, the City of Providence built this edifice for public schoolchildren ... I am simultaneously proud and ashamed, because I’m proud of what we once did, but I’m ashamed of the way we let these things get," Grover said.

More: House lawmakers, angry parents call on PPSD to reverse school closings

District likely has less than two months to decide on plan

By September 15, PPSD and RIDE will likely need to decide which of the three options to pick to "lock in the funding," Ryan said, though she added that she is trying to see how much flexibility there may be on the deadline. According to PPSD spokesman Jay Wegimont, if no decision is made by that point, the district "risks losing approximately $70 million in state incentives, including pay-as-you-go funds and housing aid bonuses."

Rep. David Morales said, "There was a lot of frustration from our neighbors and educators about the lack of details that were shared as we were presented with three proposals that made no reference to the interior design or classroom models that our students would be learning in, whether it be a new building or renovation." The summer deadline only created further stress, he said.

"Hearing that expedited timeline added to the frustration and concerns of our neighbors, as many of them questioned why we weren’t having these concrete discussions earlier and in further detail," Morales said.

Sen. Sam Bell echoed Morales' criticisms, noting that a 2017 report from engineering firm Jacobs Solutions estimated repair costs at $31 million.

"Even doubling that figure for inflation and cost overruns, renovation is the cheapest option, with money to spare to make more investments on top of what’s needed for basic repairs," Bell said. "Our students deserve a renovated Mount Pleasant High."

More: Providence Public Schools will have a longer school day next year. Here's what it looks like

PPSD says plans are for investment, not closure

Responding to concerns about the school's future, Wegimont emphasized that it is not being shuttered but modernized.

"PPSD has been clear that it is investing in Mount Pleasant High School as part of the District’s $600+ million school facilities plan – not proposing to close it," Wegimont wrote in an email. "These investments will raise the percentage of Providence students learning in high-quality learning spaces from just 5% currently − to 50%. Engagement on the proposed $110 [million] investment began in March and is ongoing to gather feedback from the community."

Ryan said an open house will be scheduled in the near future at Mount Pleasant so that the community has another chance to weigh in.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence's Mount Pleasant High School to be demolished or renovated