Spokane general contractor Leone & Keeble Inc. has begun construction of two schools in College Place, Wash., including the southeastern Washington town's first high school, says project manager Scott Jutte.

"We're constructing a high school in College Place for the first time," Jutte says. "They've always had their kids go to Walla Walla," which borders College Place.

The contractor also is constructing a new elementary school for the College Place school district that will replace the current school, Jutte says. The cost for the elementary school is about $14.7 million, he says, and the high school is expected to come in at about $23.9 million.

Proceeds from a school district bond measure that voters approved last year will pay for the schools, Jutte says.

Coeur d'Alene architectural firm Architects West PA designed the buildings, he says.

Leone & Keeble broke ground on the 76,000-square-foot elementary school in June, Jutte says, and started work on the high school project on Nov. 4. The elementary building is expected to be fully completed by October 2014, he says.

The elementary building, Jutte says, is being built on the same property as and will be constructed in phases.

"It will be done so the existing school can stay open and can stay in business while we're constructing," Jutte says.

The high school, which will have about 100,000 square feet of floor space, is slated to be finished in December 2015, he says.