New entrances, renovations planned for Lincoln High School

The latest

In June members of the Dallas ISD bond construction team held a community meeting to discuss an application to the City of Dallas for a special use permit, or SUP, at Lincoln High School. 

While the meeting was intended for the South Dallas community, it was attended only by District 7 Plan Commissioner Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan, Lincoln’s principal Lance Williams, Dallas ISD District 9 Trustee Ed Turner, and other Dallas ISD employees.

The district says the full presentation from the June meeting will be made available on the Lincoln page of Dallas ISD’s bond website.

Why does Lincoln need a special use permit for construction?

The 2020 Dallas ISD bond package now includes $45 million-worth of upgrades to Lincoln High School, including renovations to the cafeteria, fine arts wing, auditorium, gym and more, as well as new main and athletics entrances, locker rooms, teacher parking lot and student outdoor spaces.

Like any other construction within the city, Dallas ISD must apply for permits to make major changes to their campuses. Currently, the district is seeking a SUP for Lincoln High School to make the following changes: 

1. Increase the lot coverage from 27.05% to 29.93% 
2. Reduce the number of parking spaces from 278 to 257
3. Receive an exemption from local height restrictions to install athletic field lighting

The slight increase in lot coverage and reduction in parking spaces will give the district and the high school the ability to add an already-planned front entrance upgrade, similar to the entrance at H.S. Thompson STEAM Academy in Bonton. These changes also will give flexibility for any potential future additions, such as a competition gym or expanded space for the Career Institute East, which are not yet planned.

For athletic field lighting, the district has proposed 80-foot-tall LED lights, similar to lights used at W.W. Samuell and South Oak Cliff high schools, as well as suburban and private schools. According to Dallas ISD staff, this “community-friendly” lighting should have limited “lost light,” or spillage outside of campus, because of the height of the poles.

What happens next?

The SUP is currently under review by City of Dallas staff, and Dallas ISD staff says they expect the permit to be heard by the City Plan Commission by the end of July. Prior to the hearing, neighboring homes will receive a mailed notice, with an option to mark support or opposition to the permit and mail it back to City Hall. 

Dallas ISD bond construction staff encouraged community members to attend the CPC meeting, once scheduled, to share their input.

Pending approval by CPC, the permit will go before the City Council for final approval. 

As for Lincoln’s renovations, planning and design are currently underway, with an expected construction start in February 2025, and a planned opening of new facilities in August 2026, according to the Bond 2020 website.