KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Demolition is underway for the North Kansas City Fieldhouse. The building is getting torn down as part of a $65 million renovation for the high school.
41 Action News was there as the final game played out back in February.
Jeff Vandel, Executive Director of Facilities for North Kansas City Schools, said, "I know a lot of people are really sad to see the field house go. A lot of memories there." But he adds, "This is a great group of students down here and they deserve state of the art facilities."
The demolition will take about a month. Vandel said, "We're more chewing away at it than a big explosion to take it down."
North Kansas City Schools teachers come back to work on August 9, so the goal is to take the building down and have the lot cleared before then.
A performance center is being built in its place. That is set to open in August 2019.
Phase one features, "An academic wing and a new gymnasium, cafeteria," according to Vandel. That will open next month.
Roshonda Reed's daughter will be a senior in the fall. She described the feeling as, "Bittersweet because they're getting a new gym, so we're excited about that."
