Regents Approve Partial Demolition of Price Lab Building

The Iowa Board of Regents voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the demolition of about 70 percent of the Malcolm Price Laboratory School building.

University of Northern Iowa officials asked for permission to demolish the building except the field house and the west wing, which are being renovated to house the Child Development Center.

UNI cites $17 million in deferred maintenance in the 1950s-built building and said the space is no longer needed as reason for demolition, which is estimated to cost $500,000.

School officials told Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier the building would likely be demolished beginning in May and the area would likely be left as green space for the time being.

Price Lab closed its doors at the end of June. The school served as a teaching lab for college students and a K-12 school for about 350 kids who have been dispersed to local school districts.

UNI officials cited budgetary reasons for its closure, but it caused an uproar on campus and a rift in the community. Parents and teachers filed a lawsuit to block the closing the school. The case remains pending in the Iowa Supreme Court.

The Associated Press reported that last week, an assistant attorney general representing the regents filed documents asking the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal.