Alta-Aurelia hires ISG to assess old Alta high school options

Alta-Aurelia moved closer to a decision on the old Alta high school by bringing in Storm Lake firm ISG for a preliminary look at the building’s condition and the choices still on the table.

Superintendent Denny Olhausen told the Alta-Aurelia School Board the district will clean out the building this summer and schedule asbestos abatement as part of that work. The early review will include a building inspector and an architect, with a proposal and scope of work expected afterward. Olhausen said the district wants a code review before it makes a major commitment, so the board does not get locked into a financial decision that later proves unaffordable.

The old high school, a 1916-vintage building on West Fifth Street in Alta, has already been through years of pressure and uncertainty. The building was closed temporarily in January 2024 after a boiler failure, water leaks and needed inspections. Officials later found three areas that tested positive for asbestos, adding another layer of cost and complication to any future use.

The board now faces several realistic possibilities: demolition, partial demolition, conversion or another kind of reuse. Any of those options would have to be weighed against code requirements, asbestos removal and the district’s long-term budget. The board has also seen outside interest in the property, with four developers reportedly expressing interest, though none has committed to buying it.

Cost remains the central issue. On March 12, 2026, the Storm Lake Times Pilot reported the board was considering using sales-tax funds to tear down the north side of the old high school, with demolition costs estimated at $400,000 to $1 million. Olhausen had recommended setting aside a specific dollar amount from excess bond proceeds for possible demolition. He also noted that bids on the district’s athletic complex came in about $2.5 million under the architect’s estimate, which could leave room for demolition-related expenses if the board chooses that path.

The athletic facility matters because the district’s new building is being planned next to the high school and is meant to replace the current fitness center connected to the old structure. In January 2025, the school board approved up to $9.5 million in sales-tax bonds for that project. Later, the district selected L&L Builders of Sioux City with a low bid of just under $5.1 million, well below preliminary estimates of about $7.5 million.

The old school has also drawn interest from the City of Alta, including for possible city use. The Alta Community Library had shared space with the district for more than 20 years before plans to relocate, and the building has remained a recurring question for city and school leaders alike. The ISG review is the latest step in turning that long-running debate into a decision the board can actually fund.