The front of LHS, including the main office entrance and cafeteria, will get a face-lift in coming months.

Plans are set and work is moving forward to renovate the northwest face of the building around the front office and cafeteria.

The cafeteria is to be both expanded and outfitted, explained assistant principal and director of facilities and security Mike Norris.

“With the cafeteria, what you are going to see first is change in the kitchen and loading docks,” Norris said. “For the cafeteria itself, you will see expansion, moving it further out where the glass windows on the north side are now.”

The expansion of the cafeteria will allow for patio seating for students. Patio seating will be located on the north of the cafeteria beyond where the glass windows are presently.

“I would enjoy the new outdoor seating,” senior Logan Applegate said. “It is nice to enjoy meals outside.”
Students are excited about the prospect of the new cafeteria with changes including bar-style seating around pillars.

“Having an updated and bigger cafeteria will be very nice,” junior Keilani Daboda said. “It is very crowded in there right now.”

Plans include removing the wall partitioning the cafeteria from the rotunda — where the bell currently sits.

“The bell will be moved to the display case in front of the auditorium,” Norris said. “That is its original location.”

The Lion’s Den will be relocated from its current space on the north side of the cafeteria.

“Where the Lion’s Den is now will not exist anymore; it will be opened up,” Norris said. “The StuCo window will stay where it is now and the glass case next to it will be opened up for the Lion’s Den.”

In addition, a new black box theater will be constructed off the music wing immediately west of the orchestra room. The new construction will allow the current black box theater to be converted to a storage room for band and orchestra.

“The current black box theater will still stand,” Norris said. “We will be constructing a new one in the area where the music wing entrance is located.”

Students still see room for other changes at LHS. Among the ideas, senior Zakary McAlister’s suggests a covered pathway to the annex.

“It would be cool to have a covered walkway or skywalk to the annex,” McAllister said. “It gets very cold during the winter.”

Staging for the planned renovation began last month. The finished product is expected to be completed by the beginning of next school year.

“When you come to the front of the building, with the new black box theater, cafeteria expansion and new front entrance, it will all look new,” Norris said.