BYU Updates High School for Temporary Program Housing

Brigham Young University has begun "minimal" construction on a former Provo high school campus that the Utah institution purchased in 2016. The slightly remodeled building, part of a 25-acre site, will house some units from the College of Fine Arts and Communication temporarily, while the university constructs a new music building on the main campus. That project is expected to be done by the end of 2022.

According to student reporting, when the new 170,000-square-foot Music Building is completed, other departments in the College of Fine Arts will move to the high school, as the process of designing and planning for a new arts building is begun.

BYU music building
Photo credit: Brigham Young University

Improvements on the high school site include "fixing carpets and cabinets, making sure electrical outlets and capacity are correct, and replacing the information technology infrastructure."

The college will also invest "Inspiring Learning" funds into various student programs to cover the expense of other off-campus learning opportunities for student majors who attend classes in the high school site.

Initially, Provo High School leased back the site under a 30-month lease agreement, which enabled the school to use the property for free while the district constructed a replacement campus. That new building was finished in time for the 2018-2019 school year. The former high school acreage sits across the street from the main university campus.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.