The Tower Building underwent the first round of renovations slated to continuously take place in the administration building over the next several years.

After the Strong Schools Bond program, a $378 million bond measure that was passed in 2008, the administration sought to modernize the building, which has been a cornerstone of the Palo Alto High School campus since its construction in 1918. The building avoided widespread modernization of the campus in the 1970s and there are no intentions to drastically alter it in the future.

“There has been enough of a contingency to say ‘lets not get rid of this building,’ and it will not go away” Paly math teacher and Paly alumnus Arne Lim said.

Over Winter Break, the main office, comprised of both the reception area and administration offices, was repainted and had a new carpet installed.

In addition to the cosmetic changes, the orientation of the office was changed. Principal Kim Diorio moved her office further back into the tower building to the originally designated principal’s office, which had been vacated by former principal Phil Winston. Additionally, one of the secretaries who formerly occupied the reception area of the office will move into a new space.

The administration plans to further the renovations of the main office with a remodel of the reception area to include over 200 mailboxes.

In the future the administration hopes to return the guidance office to its original state, as an open hall without the partitions that currently divide the office. Other potential additions include new bathrooms and an elevator.

New furniture was also added to the tower building throughout the administration offices, including new desks and tables.

The tower building renovation is being placed at a lower priority than the more large scale construction projects currently in progress, such as the media arts building and the new math and social studies building on the east side of campus, according to Lim.

“With all the construction projects going on on campus, this will be one of the last ones because there are no students here” Lim told an alumni group. “We try to do the student stuff first.”