Construction of the new Winton Elementary School is set to begin by August, according to the Coeur d'Alene School District and the contracting firm for the project, T.W. Clark, of Spokane.

The current building located at 920 W. Lacrosse Ave. will be demolished mid-July, and the new structure will be built in its footprint.

The design by Longwell + Trapp Architects in Hayden includes a three-level, 51,294-square-foot energy-efficient building which will provide space for as many as 475 kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

Laura Rumpler, director of communications for the Coeur d'Alene School District said Friday the new capacity will be space for Winton "to grow into," and will provide potential seats for students currently working in portable structures at other district elementary schools.

The Winton Elementary School project is the last in the $32.7 million dollar five-school reconstruction project approved in August 2012.

Competitive bids and a $1 million under-budget savings from the Canfield Middle School remodeling project in 2013 enabled the district to proceed with the expanded design for Winton.

"Because of the savings at Canfield there are a number of other earmarked funds that will allow us to build out Winton the way we want it, and the way the community wants it," Rumpler said.

There are presently 332 K-5 students enrolled at Winton.

During the construction, which is expected to span the 2014-2015 school year, students and staff will relocate to the original Hayden Lake Elementary School building at 9650 N. Government Way.

Children who currently travel to Winton by school bus will continue to be collected at their usual pick-up locations and transported to Hayden. New pick-up locations will be devised this summer for other students who require transportation to Hayden.

Bryan Martin, the director of maintenance for the Coeur d'Alene School District, said the new plan includes a library, a stage and music area, a gymnasium, a kitchen and a "multi-purpose room" that will serve as a large meeting area when not in use as the cafeteria. Three "collaboration rooms" will be available for activities such as smaller group meetings or tutoring sessions.

The new building will have two above-ground stories and an underground level, and be handicapped-accessible. The ground floor, which is "on-grade" according to partner Cory Trapp at Longwell + Trapp, requires no ramp. The level with the gym and music area will have a ramp on the west side of the building.

Energy-efficiency features include double-pane glass windows to replace the current single-pane, which Trapp said "is like putting up a piece of plastic."

The flooring features will include carpets with a high recycled fiber content, as well as "stained polished concrete," a low-maintenance material that requires only damp mopping for cleaning, Trapp said.

In crafting the new design for Winton Elementary, the architects used the historic character of the original building as "inspiration," Trapp said. Trapp added they wanted the new school to "fit" with the surrounding neighborhood.

"The pitched roofs on the lower elements of the building helps to scale the building into the neighborhood," Trapp said.

The exterior is structural steel frame with a brick veneer and metal siding. The brick has not yet been chosen but will feature an aged look.

The playground will swap its current location in front of the school with the parking lot currently located at the rear.

Martin said a recent auction of the building's brick and fixtures including lighting, radiators, chalkboards, windows and metal, generated about $4,700 which will be used for Winton.

The contractors will take possession of the property on July 7, and will start demolition about a week later.

Before they take possession of the property, they will erect barriers and deposit equipment trailers.

The Coeur d'Alene Fire Department will use the old building for training exercises before the demolition.