Central Valley School District has selected Lydig Construction Inc., of Spokane, to build the planned new University High School in the Spokane Valley.


Dave Jackman, the school districts director of auxiliary services, says the project, near the southeast corner of 32nd Avenue and Pines Road, is estimated to cost about $29.9 million to construct and have a total cost of about $40 million, which includes architectural fees, school equipment and supplies, and other expenses.


Mike Pearson, the school districts director of secondary, or high-school level, education, says crews will break ground late this month on the two-story, 230,000-square-foot high school, which will be located on a 48-acre site.


Construction should be completed in May or June of 2002, and the new high school is expected to open for classes that fall, Pearson says.


Pearson says the new school will include facilities to be used both by students and community groups, including a 575-seat theater, a fieldhouse, a multiuse student-commons area, and a media center.


The current University High School and campus, which is a single-story, 150,000-square-foot structure on about 23 acres at 10212 E. Ninth, will be put up for sale after the new school opens, Pearson says.


Earlier this month, Garco Construction Inc., of Spokane, broke ground on the planned new Central Valley High School. That school, which is being built just east of the current Central Valley High School, will be comparable in size to the new University High School and also is scheduled to open at the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year.


Northwest Architectural Co., of Spokane, designed both school projects.