HIGHLAND PARK — Bigger is not always better after all.

At least that's how Highland Park ISD parents and residents see things, after learning that Robert S. Hyer Elementary School may grow from its current one story to three in 2019.

The rebuilding process for the University Park school will start next summer as part of a $361.4 million bond package passed in 2015, the biggest bond passed in HPISD's 104-year history.

But recent talk of possibly adding two more floors in Hyer's new building has upset some residents.

Jim Richards of University Park told HPISD's school board during its Jan. 16 meeting that he had moved into his home 18 years ago because of its proximity to Hyer.

He said he was afraid the school would look like University Park Elementary School's new building, also funded by the bond, which he said resembles a "skyscraper stuck in the middle of a residential neighborhood."

"We bought a house in a beautiful school neighborhood, and we are very worried about that neighborhoods being destroyed with ongoing discussion of a three-story building," Richards said. "I don’t want to speak on behalf of all of my neighbors, but we’ve got several of them here that have the same concern."

University Park Elementary, which is currently under construction, will have a partial third floor when it is completed later this year. The original school was just two stories tall.

No decision yet

Jon Dahlander, HPISD spokesman, said in an email Monday that district officials have not made a final decision on the number of stories that will be in the new Hyer school building.

A 2015 rendering of the new Hyer Elementary School in Highland Park ISD. (Special / Stantec)

"Architects are still in the design stage," Dahlander said. "The other new elementary schools that have been and are being built as a result of the 2015 bond election have been three stories. But again, no determination has been made at this time. We hope to have some designs to review later this spring."

In addition to funding new school buildings for University Park, Hyer and Bradfield elementaries, the bond also covered last year's construction of a fifth elementary school.

The new school has been used as a temporary location where students from University Park Elementary have attended as their campus is rebuilt this year.

Hyer students will move into the fifth elementary school this fall where they will stay for two years as Bradfield and Hyer are rebuilt within the next two years. Bradfield students will go to school at Hyer instead of the fifth elementary school while their school is rebuilt in the 2018-2019 school year.

Dahlander said Monday the district decided to not have Bradfield students attend the fifth school because Bradfield is closer to Hyer, but some parents at last week's board meeting said that decision was unfair.

Bradfield Elementary, Tuesday, October 6, 2015. (Brandon Wade / Special Contributor)

Paul Bennett said he was worried about having his two children, who attend Hyer, go to the fifth elementary school for two years instead of the one year he had been told when he voted for the bond.

'Do the right thing'

"All during the bond process for the bond package, we were told that this would be a shared sacrifice and something that all of the three schools affected would be treated fairly the same," Bennett told the board. "As soon as the bond election occurred, it seems there were meetings that folks in the neighborhood didn't know about and decisions were made to change that."

He said keeping Hyer students at the fifth elementary school for two years is not only unfair to them, but to the Bradfield students who will not get to experience the fifth elementary school.

Mark Muller of University Park backed Bennett's comments and asked the board to reconsider its decision.

"If there is no compelling reason why Bradfield should have to go into the old, run-down one-story Hyer instead of going to the brand-new school with flexible learning spaces, wide open hallways and better classrooms ... then you need to look into the decision again," Muller said. "It's never too late to do the right thing."