The Prairie Village Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a 7,600-square-foot, two-story addition to Shawnee Mission East.

Why it matters: The addition will add multipurpose learning space, two classrooms, storage and an outdoor learning space to SM East, according to city documents.

The addition will be located in the courtyard area on the north side of the high school, between two wings of the building, facing 75th Street.

The new structure addition will only be partially visible from the street due the grade of the land.

The details: Renderings of the proposed addition show a blue paneled wall adjacent to a large, glass windowed front that looks into an interior atrium.

The large window will include a faint silhouette of a Lancer, the school’s mascot.

Outside, there will be a terrace of steps with native gardens, according to the plan.

Dwayne Cash, an architect representing the Shawnee Mission School District, told the commission on Tuesday that the terrace is designed to be a gathering space.

Additionally, since four trees are being torn down, the district intends to replant a total of eight trees.

Accessibility concerns: Commissioner Nancy Wallerstein expressed concerns with the accessibility of the outdoor space.

Wallerstein confirmed with Cash that students or staff in wheelchairs who are at the top of the steps outside would have to go back through the building in order to get to the bottom of the steps outside.

Cash said the top outdoor space and bottom outdoor space are accessible individually, and there are similar concerns inside the school.

Individuals in wheelchairs who want to get from the lower floor to the second floor need to take an elevator because the ramps aren’t ADA accessible, he said.

Wallerstein said she understands that, but said she had worries about about not providing ADA accessibility on new construction.

Cash responded that a consultant is ensuring the addition is being built in compliance with federal law.

“I caution you, because we do have some great advocates in Prairie Village who will be looking at this I’m sure,” Wallerstein said.