Southwest Seals a Tradition

View from 47th of what used to be main entrance Door 3

Since 1940 the main entrance into Southwest was through Door 3.  Thousands of students, family members, community guest, foreign visitors and friends of Southwest entered the school through this opening.  This month the doors disappeared,  The steps were destroyed. 

The previous entrance was not accessible.  It required visitors to climb the steps to get into the office, the auditorium and classes.  The doors were painted by rivals, repainted and then graffiti again to repeat the cycle. 

Originally there were wood, glass pane doors adorning the front.  Those were replaced in the era of safety concerns and the black/brown metal doors were installed.  Through the 1955, 1967, 1995 construction, addition and more construction Door 3 remained at the main entrance.

The pictures displays some of the new designs.  There will no longer be stair leading up to the first floor.  A landing is being built that extends the auditorium lobby area.  That floor is now considered the second floor.  Below the new lobby will be classrooms, a new school health clinic and a hallway that is open from door 4 into the commons.

The outer wall will be renovated to match the rest of the building.  Windows in the same design as the others will close the opening and allow light into the classes and area.  The side walls of the old stes will remain.  Planters will be established between those sides.

Door 1 is now the official main entrance.  It is totally accessible with operating doors.  The interior is protected by an interior set of doors.  Blocking the cold outside winds and maintaining limited access from unwanted outsiders is the standard practice of a double door entry system.  Door 1 is further east of the previous area and part of the new construction.  The doors opening into the commons.

A new tradition starts and thousand more students, families and guest will travel through those doors that in 20 years will make it the old door 1.