COLUMBIA — The City Council unanimously approved the Regional Catholic High School development plans during Monday's meeting.
The school will be built on about 23 acres of land west of U.S. 63, to the north of Gans Road. Scheduled to open in 2010, the high school will cost approximately $16 million to build. Once completed, the school will be able to enroll up to 400 students.
During the meeting, Sixth Ward Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe said the high school "really looks like a commendable plan" and commented on the plan's ability to clear the land for the high school quickly.
Mayor Darwin Hindman commented that the plans did a good job arranging the parking lot.
Former city manager Ray Beck, the high school's project director, addressed the council during the meeting and referred to the high school as an "exciting project." Beck said that the high school will close the gap in Columbia's Catholic schools. Columbia is one of the largest cities in the diocese that doesn't have a Catholic high school.
"It will fill the needs of people who want to send kids to a smaller school of faith," Beck said.
Now that the school has an approved plan from the City Council, Beck said more detailed plans will be created. The school also will continue to raise money; it has collected $5.8 million so far. Even though the school has received a lot of public support, Beck said he expects even more now that the school has an approved plan.