EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
Some major changes could be coming to the campus of Reitz Memorial High School.
The school has unveiled a neighborhood redevelopment plan.
The Board of Trustees has completed a multi-year study to identify and address some ongoing problems.
That study revealed several issues that officials at Reitz Memorial High School want to fix.
"Several of the issues that came forward and this is in discussion with the neighbors and the people around us, is the safety of the neighborhood," said Brother Lawrence Murphy, President of Reitz Memorial. "How do we make sure the neighborhood is safe for our students and the families who are sending their students here? The second issue, for anyone who's ever been around here is parking."
There isn't enough parking in the lot so students have to park on the streets surrounding the school.
They believe that's unsafe.
So over the past 5 years, the high school has bought 35 properties along Bennighof and Lodge Avenues, in hopes of clearing the area for additional parking.
"We're a land locked campus. It's one square block. We don't have a lot of extra space. We have almost 800 students in the building. Probably half of them drive. We don't have a lot of parking spaces on campus," said Brother Murphy.
The redevelopment plan also aims at helping traffic flow, not only for students and local traffic, but emergency vehicles too.
Brother Murphy said, "Trying to get through these streets when things are going on can be chaotic for ambulances or fire engines and that's important thing for a neighborhood, for a school, that we be able to facilitate those things if we need them."
The school has made a proposal to the city council to begin the project.
They say if all goes as planned, they expect to start construction in the summer of 2013.
The school expects to hear from the city council by October.
The school also plans on hosting an open meeting as early as next week, for any neighbors or parents who want to voice their opinions on the project.
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