For the past two and a half years, the 90-some students of Venice Elementary have been going to a makeshift school in Granite City after their old building at 300 S. 4th St. was condemned in September 2020 and later demolished due to structural issues.
Friday morning, the community came one step closer to a new school as Venice Community Unit School District 3 broke ground at 700 Broadway, where the former Venice High School used to be.
Despite the change in weather that started bringing freezing temperatures and sleet into the metro-east, hundreds of students, parents, school staff and leaders, community members and elected officials gathered for a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of a 47,400-square-foot, $26 million school that will open its doors to students in August 2025.
“This groundbreaking is not just about the physical start of construction. It signifies the commencement of a journey toward enriched learning, growth and community development,” Superintendent Cynthia Tolbert said.