High-School Construction to Finish Early, Under Budget Due to COVID

Construction work on Hendersonville High School, located in Hendersonville, N.C., is set for completion in August 2022—11 months ahead of schedule. The project will also come in about half a million dollars under its $59.1-million budget.

Henderson County Capital Projects Manager David Berry attributes the accelerated timeline to sitework during the summer before construction, as well as a reduced student presence in the school due to the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed workers more and longer access to the site. He announced the news to the Board of Commissioners, who voted to amend its contract with Vannoy Construction to incorporate the new schedule and financial information.

“This is, for me, exciting news to bring forward to this board,” said Berry. “This whole project has been not only the most expensive that Henderson County—I believe—has taken on; it’s been the most difficult. And without everybody’s cooperation, we wouldn’t be where we are.”

The project includes renovations to two campus buildings (the Stillwell Building and the gymnasium completed in 1974) as well as a new-two story building. The new building will play home to administrative offices; a student media center; a new cafeteria; and new science, chorus, and band classrooms. The new building is set to open in August 2021 instead of its original December 2021 completion date.

“Students are going to benefit from this,” said Henderson County Public Schools Superintendent John Bryant. “Taxpayers are going to benefit from this. While logistical challenges will be presented, we welcome those challenges. We know that we’ll be successful in meeting those challenges because they benefit the children of our community.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • William Penn Charter School

    Richard A. Balderston OPC’69 Lower School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Richard A. Balderston OPC’69 Lower School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.