Texas District Breaks Ground on $140M Replacement High School

The Waco Independent School District in Waco, Texas, recently broke ground on a replacement facility for Waco High School. The new school will cover 350,000 square feet and comes with a price tag of $140 million, according to a district news release. The new building will have a capacity of 2,150 and is scheduled to open in time for the beginning of the 2025–26 school year.

Funding for the school comes from a $355-million bond that voters approved in 2021. The bond will be used to build replacement facilities for Waco High School, G.W. Carver Middle School, Tennyson Middle School, and Kendrick Elementary School, as well as renovations to South Waco Elementary. The construction of Waco High School comes with a Guaranteed Maximum Price approved by the school board of $140.5 million.

The existing Waco High School was built in 1961. The new facility will feature open spaces and glass walls between classrooms for observation, according to local news.

“Breaking ground on the new Waco High School is the latest but certainly not the last chapter in a story of a community coming together to do big things,” said Waco ISD Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon. “When we come together, we can literally build the future.”

The district partnered with architect O’Connell Robertson for the new building’s design and project manager Rogers-O’Brien for construction.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.