SOUTH PORTLAND – Six months after they approved a $41.5 million bond for renovation and expansion of the high school, residents Tuesday will get to see three-dimensional drawings of the project.

The open house, scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the high school cafeteria, is an opportunity for residents, parents, teachers and students to provide feedback on the preliminary design.

The district’s building committee also will collect memorabilia for a display at the redesigned school. Guests to the event are invited to bring old photos, souvenirs, news clippings or uniforms, which will be cataloged and stored.

A presentation created by the architects at Harriman Associates will allow guests to see the exterior design in three dimensions and from all angles and distances.

“It has been a concept for so long, now we have some things to show people,” said Ralph Baxter Jr., a School Board member who chairs the building committee. “We’re obviously not done. We’ll be spending the summer finalizing the plans.”

Baxter said he hopes to hear from the public what they like about the design, and more importantly, what areas need improvement.

Officials submitted applications two weeks ago for site permitting through the Department of Environmental Protection. That process is expected to take between four and six months. Baxter said the committee hopes to have the design work completed in the fall, with construction to begin when school closes next June. The renovations are projected to be done in the summer of 2015.

The high school was built in 1952. A gym was added in 1958, an annex in 1962, and a cafeteria and auditorium in 1997. The renovated school will have a capacity of 1,100 students, about 200 more than the current enrollment. The project is funded entirely by South Portland taxpayers.

Representatives from the building committee will be at the open house to discuss features of the project, including technology innovations and environmentally friendly design elements.

Superintendent Suzanne Godin said she hopes for a big turnout. Community involvement, she said, is critical to the success of the project.

“Approximately 100 community members have been involved in the subcommittees,” Godin said. “Tuesday is an opportunity for people to ask questions and to give feedback. We’re looking forward to it.”

For the memorabilia collection, Baxter said the building committee is looking for a broad range of items, and is specifically interested in the annual photos taken of the senior class.

“They’re hoping to get as many photos of classes for as far back as they would go,” Baxter said.

Staff Writer Trevor Maxwell can be contacted at 791-6451 or at:

tmaxwell@pressherald.com