The two men who helped design and build the new Westgate Elementary School in Kennewick once attended it.

Architect Doug Mitchell and contractor Gary Chervenell once frequented the halls of the old Westgate Elementary at 2514 W. Fourth Ave. before it was demolished to make way for a new school, according to district officials. 

Both men say they have fond memories of the K-5 school and the students and staff they knew during their time there, the school district reported.

Mitchell spent his entire elementary education at the school in the late 1960s and early 1970s, while Chervenell spent the latter part of his sixth-grade year at Westgate in the early 1960s, after his family moved to Kennewick from Spokane, the district reported.

The new Westgate building replaces the original one built in 1952. The two-story, 60,500-square-foot school features 30 classrooms, a gymnasium, cafeteria, library, music room, computer lab, reading rooms and a playground.

The new school cost $18.4 million to design and build. The work is part of a school bond passed by voters in 2015 to build new schools and replace outdated buildings.

The first day of school is Aug. 29.

The community is welcome to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour the school at 10 a.m. Aug. 25. 

Chervenell Construction Co. of Kennewick is the general contractor.

MMEC Architecture & Interiors of Kennewick is the design agency. 

Construction updates and project details may be found at ksd.org.