ST. CLOUD -- The replacement for the 101-year-old Technical High School is well underway and doing a lot to incorporate the nature that surrounds it.

The new St. Cloud Tech, being built on the south side of town off 33rd Street South across from Stride Academy, is starting to look like a school after being just dirt a year ago.

Kyle Walter is the Program Manager for the new Tech High School. He says nature is being incorporated in a big way at the school.

"With all the surrounding wetlands, they're pushing for kids to be able to learn outside as well. So we'll be building platform and jump-off spaces for that."

Walter says another aspect of getting as much nature as possible into the new Tech is by making sure there's a lot of natural light.

"This will allow a lot of natural light to flow into these areas. Between the windows outside and the light from the center, there's going to be a lot of natural light flowing through each learning neighborhood."

The school will feature "learning neighborhoods", and will bring most Tiger athletics back onto campus. The district's goal with the new high school is to create as much collaboration and community as possible among students as they progress through their higher education.

When finished, the new Tech will hold about 1,600 students. The city of St. Cloud is also planning to turn the nearby Neena Creek area into a park. St. Cloud recently released concept designs of what they'd like to do with the old Technical High School, once they take over that building in 2019.

More From AM 1240 WJON