Normal Community High School won’t go quickly or quietly… Those driving on College Avenue Monday probably heard and saw the demolition work that began on parts of the school at Kingsley Str.

Stan Pieper, Unit 5 director of buildings and grounds, said work on the Northern part of the 1954 addition began about 7am. By mid-morning a large machine from Stark Excavating was hammering and pulling at steel beams and sorting debris into separate piles for recycling. The original building, erected in 1927, also will be demolished.

The football field behind the school provided a view of the work Monday morning. Pieper said the process should take four to six weeks. “It’s going to take some time” he said “It’s a sturdy little building”.

The portion of the school that will not be demolished, as well as a new addition, will open for classes next month as Kingsley Junior High School, while a new NCHS will open in north Normal. Shawn Sethi, a 2003 NCHS graduate, was at the demolition site Monday morning with video camera in hand. He planned to add footage of the demolition to a tribute film to be shown at the Normal Theater at 7pm tonight. The showing, which is free, is expected to last about 30 minutes he said. It includes interviews and footage of the old building. The first 75 to arrive at the theater will receive T-shirts.

After attending the school for four years, Sethi was among alumni who will miss the building. “It’s a pretty sad thing,” he said. “Some people really care about this part of the building”.

The demolition site will become a parking lot and drop-off lane for the junior high school, said Pieper, who expects some people might come out to watch the demolition of the 1927 portion of the school.

Pieper said various items were salvaged before work began, including electrical breakers, hardware, doors, light lenses, fire alarm equipment, emergency lights and speakers. The cornerstone was previously removed and opened. A boiler door, a wood bannister and handrail and a Truman Keys plaque were also saved. Piper said the public may not have access to brick piles because of liability concerns. He said a truckload of old furniture will be taken to Wapella for a consignement auction.