Southwest High School HVAC & LED Upgrades, Phases 1 - 5

Southwest High School is scheduled to undergo a significant renovation and is outlined below.  To receive periodic updates on project milestones and other news, please sign up to receive E-alerts.

Scope of Work

Kraus-Anderson Construction Company has been selected as an Agency Construction Manager by Minneapolis Public Schools to administer the construction project for Southwest High School HVAC & LED lighting upgrades.  The overall project consists of HVAC upgrades, including new Chillers for adding air conditioning system to high school and new air handling units.  Also includes LED lighting upgrades, new electric voltage regulator, roof replacements, and related interior modifications.

Work in Areas A & B to begin June 2026. 

Work in Areas C, D, E, F, and attic space to begin June 2027.

Phase 1 & 2 Bid Packages were bid out on October 7, 2025, and approved by MPS Board on February 10, 2026.

Phases 3, 4, & 5 to be bid out at a later date tbd.

Work Updates

The following is an update on construction activities that will be taking place this summer on campus:

Work Updates 

October-

Work in Areas A & B completed September 2026. 

April-

We are embarking on a large-scale roof replacement and HVAC upgrade project that will be phased out over the next several summers/years.

Summer 2026, we focused on the Eastern wing along 47^th and Abbot Ave S.

2027 Project Plans

Phase 2 will start Spring 2027.

You can expect to see increased construction traffic Mon-Friday 7am-5pm.

There will be several cranes, delivery trucks, and other construction vehicles around site throughout the duration of the project.

We will need to remove portions of our existing roof in sections, replace that area with a built-up roof and temporarily seal each section every night.

The demolition process will likely generate some dust. Rest assured, the existing roof was tested and confirmed to have no ACM. 

This will likely be the noisiest part of each day.

There will be a kettle on site that will heat the new asphalt (tar) for application. This will generate a noticeable amount of odor. While this odor may not be pleasant and will vary depending on which way the wind is blowing each day, it is not toxic and will not cause harm to anyone exposed to it.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to complete these important updates for our campus.

2026 Project Plans

We are embarking on a large-scale roof replacement and HVAC upgrade project that will be phased out over the next several summers/years.

This summer 2026, we will be focusing on the Eastern wing along 47^th and Abbot Ave S.

You can expect to see increased construction traffic Mon-Friday 7am-5pm.

There will be several cranes, delivery trucks, and other construction vehicles around site throughout the duration of the project.

We will need to remove portions of our existing roof in sections, replace that area with a built-up roof and temporarily seal each section every night.

The demolition process will likely generate some dust. Rest assured, the existing roof was tested and confirmed to have no ACM. 

This will likely be the noisiest part of each day.

There will be a kettle on site that will heat the new asphalt (tar) for application. This will generate a noticeable amount of odor. While this odor may not be pleasant and will vary depending on which way the wind is blowing each day, it is not toxic and will not cause harm to anyone exposed to it.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to complete these important updates for our campus.