Mountain Iron-Buhl High School

Mountain Iron-Buhl had occupied its original high school for the better part of a century. Despite a solid maintenance program and ongoing upgrades to the facilities, the time came when there simply were too many challenges to continue using the building. The school district owned 50+ acres at the nearby Merritt Elementary School site, so it was a clear choice to immediately consider using that land to provide for the new high school facilities.

ARI began to work with the MIB School District in 2008, starting with simple concept sketches and budgets to begin the process of locating and designing the new high school. In 2016, after several years of intermittent discussions and planning efforts, a successful capital bond referendum provided the funding necessary for the design and construction of the new 7-12 high school and athletic fields.

Working with staff, students, administrators, and the school board, ARI developed a plan for the new 7-12 high school to be constructed as an addition to the Merritt Elementary, creating a single campus with shared infrastructure, a centrally located common auditorium, and general operational efficiencies. Construction began in June of 2017, and the school was completed in fall of the following year.