Since the day the building opened in 1937, Fair Street International Baccalaureate World School has been a fixture in the Fair Street community.

And as the Gainesville City Schools Board of Education pursues the demolition and construction of a new school for the area, input from the community has been vital.

Tonight, Fair Street residents and leaders will have the opportunity to sit down with the architects, school administrators and school board representatives to see the artist's rendering of the new school.

"It's a very special school in the Fair Street community and we want their input. We want to hear their voice, their concerns and suggestions," said David Shumake, assistant superintendent for Gainesville City Schools.

"This school is being built for the next 60 to 70 years."

The new building features a heritage hall near the front entrance to highlight the school's 75-year history.

There will be a community room by the media center that can be used for meetings and professional development events.

"We're also restoring the bell that is currently on the property and putting it up in a bell tower addition," Shumake said.

Graduating fifth-grade students traditionally ring the bell on the last day of school.

"There's a list of features in this building that will capture the important historical impact of the Fair Street School," Shumake said.

Aside from sharing what makes the new building special, Shumake plans to give attendees an update on how construction is going.

"We're hoping to begin the process in December if we can. ... It may be the first of January," he said. "But when we begin, we'll go from demolition to site development to the construction phase."

Prior to that, there's a lot of paperwork involved, including getting state Department of Education and city approval for the plans.

At a recent board meeting, Shumake said the anticipated completion date is December 2013.

The important thing once the process begins, Shumake said, is to make sure the school is celebrated.

"It's a big part of the Gainesville community and we want to honor that," he said.