Highline High School

With passage of the 2016 bond, we rebuilt Highline High School. School staff and community members helped plan and review the design. Take a virtual 360-degree tour, review HHS construction news updates and more progress photos below, from start to finish.

Opened: September 2021
Architect: Bassetti Architects
General Contractor/Construction Manager: Skanska

360-degree Views Inside Highline High School

Progress Photos

Check out photos of our progress: Staff and community members helped plan, review designs or participated in community meetings. On HHS Alumni Day in May 2019, we said goodbye to the old building and took a group photo. Skanska took over the site in July 2019. Crews completed demolition by the first week of November. Construction moved from the southeast corner to the northwest corner of the site. The new school opened September 2021.

HHS Construction (August-September 2020)

HHS Construction (Early June 2021)

HHS Construction (May 2021 drone footage, by Jeb Binns)

HHS Construction (March 2021)

HHS Tennis Court Ribbon Cutting (February 2021)

HHS Construction (Winter 2020-21)

HHS Construction (Fall 2020)

HHS Construction (Summer 2020)

HHS Construction (May 2020)

HHS Construction (April 2020)

HHS Construction (March 2020)

HHS Construction (February 2020)

HHS Construction (January 2020)

HHS Construction (December 2019)

HHS Construction (November 2019)

HHS Demolition (July - October 2019)

HHS Alumni Day 2019

Designs & Plans

Staff and community members rolled up their sleeves and helped with planning and design of the new high school through the HHS Design Review Committee, community meetings and feedback opportunities. Staff helped the architects support the educational specifications in the design. See the design images and read the February 2019 news update:

Architects Share Final Design Details
-- February 2019

Please call 206-631-3002 to request to see the HHS display boards in person or for accessibility assistance.

Northwest corner of new Highline High School, showing 2-story north building and 3-story south building.

Timeline

HHS was hosted at the Olympic Interim School for two years during construction of the new school, starting in fall 2019. In the end, much of the 2020-21 school year was spent in distance learning. Students returned on schedule to the new Highline High School on September 2, 2021 for in-person learning.

Planning & Design | February 2017 - February 2019

Bid & Award | February - July 2019

Construction | July 2019 - July 2021

Occupancy | July - August 2021

School Starts | Fall 2021

Background

Highline High School is over 90 years old and was identified as a top priority for capital improvements. The building has outdated, failing mechanical systems. Because it was built in and for an earlier era, it is not up to current fire or earthquake codes. The electrical infrastructure cannot support the technology we expect in today’s schools.

Highline has undergone several additions and partial renovations, which have extended its use well beyond its expected lifespan. The latest renovation, 25 years ago, remodeled classrooms in the main building but did not address major systems such as heating and plumbing. An independent building evaluation conducted in 2013 found plumbing in poor condition, mechanical systems failing, leaks in sprinkler systems and failing cornice joints, among other issues.

We recognize that the Highline High School building holds a special significance in the community. We have selected Bassetti Architects to design Highline High School. Bassetti has successfully rebuilt a number of historic schools, including Roosevelt High School, Franklin High School, and Stadium High School.

Here you can view before and after photos of school projects done by Bassetti Architecture.

HHS Construction Updates

RSS Feeds

HHS History Wall Goes Online!

Jun 15 2022

An online version of the history wall panels at the new Highline High School will be posted here within a week of the June 15 Opening Year Celebration & Ribbon Cutting event.

Close-up photo of Highline High School entrance.

HHS Stories & Memories From Alumni & Community

Jun 15 2022

Highline High School alumni and community members shared their memories and stories leading up to the Opening Year Celebration & Ribbon Cutting event on June 15.

RSVP: HHS Opening Year Celebration & Ribbon Cutting

Apr 22 2022

You're invited on Wednesday, June 15, at 5:30 p.m. for our ribbon cutting--finally! The HHS Opening Year Celebration will include refreshments and tours of the beautiful new Highline High School designed by Bassetti Architects. The RSVP form includes an opportunity to suggest an alumni speaker and enter a drawing to help cut the ribbon.

Three students speak at school board meeting.

HHS Students’ Solar Dream Wins State Grant & School Board Approval

Feb 2 2022

The idea sparked in Nha Khuc’s brain back in the summer of 2020 during an environmental internship prior to her senior year. “What would it take to put solar panels on the roof of the new Highline High School?”

300 Take Self-Guided Tours of HHS

Nov 1 2021

"Impressive." "So much light and wood." "It's beautiful." "It feels like a college student union building." These are comments we heard during the self-guided tours of the new Highline High School, offered on October 22 and 23 after the grand opening events were postponed. Approximately 300 alumni and community members walked through the new school. See photos.

HHS Grand Opening Postponed; Self-Guided Tours Offered October 22 & 23

Oct 15 2021

Highline Public Schools leaders made the difficult decision to postpone the Highline High School Community Grand Opening and Alumni Reception events planned for October 21 and 22.

Now you can register for limited-capacity, self-guided tours available on October 22 and 23.

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