Cascade Middle School

Cascade Replacement: $172.1M

Current Conditions at Cascade Middle School

• Built in 1957, Cascade has an overall building condition score of 63%, with aging systems and increasing maintenance needs.
• The campus includes six separate buildings, which do not meet today’s safety standards for a single, controlled entry.
• Site constraints and setbacks make rebuilding on the current site significantly more expensive.

Cost Savings and Site Considerations

Rebuilding at Salmon Creek is about $44 million less expensive. Lower costs help maximize the use of public funds and allow investment in additional Highline schools. This approach reflects a fiscally responsible use of public funds. 

At the current Cascade site, several physical conditions make construction significantly more difficult and more expensive: 

• Wetland buffers and a major sewer easement reduce the portion of the site where a building can actually be placed. That means architects have less flexibility and a much smaller footprint to work with from the start. 
• Because the usable footprint is smaller, the school could not spread out in a more efficient layout. Instead, it would likely need to be built upward, with a four-story building anticipated. Taller buildings cost more to construct and add complexity to the overall design. 
• Because the sewer easement cuts through the site, the school would likely need to be split into two buildings connected by a pedestrian bridge. That adds cost in both structure and design, and with a tight building footprint, it creates a less efficient layout for students and staff. 
• More difficult construction access and staging is a major factor to the cost. On a constrained site, there is less room for construction crews, equipment, material storage, deliveries and safe work zones. That can slow the pace of construction, require more careful sequencing, and increase labor and logistics costs. In other words, it is simply harder and more expensive to build when workers have limited space to operate. 

• Limited buildable space also makes it harder to design parking, student drop-off, bus loading, playfields and pedestrian circulation in a safe and functional way. Fitting all of that into a constrained site requires more intensive design solutions and can add cost. 

Rebuilding at the current site would also require Cascade to wait for the district's only interim site, which is also needed for Sylvester and Chinook. That could delay Cascade by several years. Delaying projects increase construction costs and raise the total project cost. 

Taken together, these are not minor issues. They are major site constraints that directly affect what can be built, how it can be built, how long it takes, and how much it costs. 

Site Size Considerations  

• Cascade has been described as a more than 40-acre site, but that includes the broader Cascade/Evergreen campus. 
• The actual buildable area for a new Cascade is much smaller — about 6.15 acres before additional constraints. The Salmon Creek site is slightly bigger, with an overall size of 6.65 acres but offers a more usable and flexible layout for school design.  
• The track and field at Evergreen are part of Evergreen High School’s campus, not Cascade’s.  
• Salmon Creek’s size and layout allow a practice playfield to be built for Cascade that would be their own. 

Community Considerations 

• Some nearby community members have raised concerns about traffic and neighborhood impacts at the Salmon Creek site.
• If the project moves forward, comprehensive traffic and infrastructure studies will be required as part of the city permitting process.
• Community input will continue to inform next steps.
• District leadership has met with the City of Burien, which has expressed support and a willingness to work together to address concerns.

Shark Garden at the Salmon Creek Site

The Shark Garden is a community garden located on a portion of the Salmon Creek site through a Joint Use Agreement with Highline Public Schools. Because the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) has recommended rebuilding Cascade Middle School at the Salmon Creek site, the presence of the Shark Garden has been part of early planning discussions. District leadership has shared information with the garden’s leadership and continues regular communication. No final decisions have been made, and we are committed to working with the garden and community to identify a transition plan for the garden, should the project move forward.

Additional Information

• District leadership informed the garden’s Executive Director when CFAC first discussed rebuilding Cascade Middle School at the Salmon Creek site and has continued regular communication, including a meeting in early March.
• Potential garden relocation sites discussed include the Original Beverly Park site and the current Cascade Middle School site. Shark Garden leadership has toured both locations.
• Shark Garden leadership has expressed support for rebuilding Cascade, along with concern about relocating the garden.
• The district is committed to working with the garden and community to support a transition to a new location if the project moves forward.

Timeline  

If the board decides to place the Cascade project on the November 2026 ballot, here is a summary of the timeline:  

• November 2026: Bond measure goes to voters (requires 60% approval).  
• Early 2027: Design committee convenes and begins an approximately 18- to 22-month design process.  
• Summer 2028: Design process continues as permitting begins.  
• Spring 2029: Shark Garden would need to fully vacate the site. 
• Summer 2029: Construction begins.  
• Fall 2031: Cascade Middle School opens