The Austin High School annex smokestack on Fourth Avenue NW is surrounded by scaffolding as Austin School District buildings and grounds crew finished inspections Thursday.

Friday, August 25, 2000

The Austin High School annex smokestack on Fourth Avenue NW is surrounded by scaffolding as Austin School District buildings and grounds crew finished inspections Thursday. The stack, which has been in service since 1953, is going to be reduced in height by about half, according to building and grounds director Bruce Huffer. The stack is "over-engineered," Huffer said, and just doesn’t need to be as big. Crews will begin stabilizing the structure Monday and work should be complete in three weeks. The stack services four boilers that provide heat for the high school and annex.