Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

U.S. Virgin Islands to Build First New School in Almost 30 Years

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/06/23

Architecture firm DLR Group recently announced that in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Education, it held a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 23 for a new PreK–8 school in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The $159-million, 145,000-square-foot project will be the first new school construction in the territory in almost 30 years, according to a news release.

“It’s been a long road to get to this point, and in the wake of two back-to-back storms, we have been presented with the opportunity and the resources to make this day possible,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Dionne Wells-Hedrington. “The new Arthur Richards PreK–8 School will set the bar for schools across the Caribbean, allowing us to transform today’s learners into tomorrow’s leaders.”

Virgin Islands Arthur Richards PreK–8 School
Renderings Courtesy of DLR Group

The new school will stand at the site of the former Evelyn M. Williams Elementary School, according to the news release. DLR Group and the Department of Education are also partnering with the MCN/Perkins Eastman Design Build team, as well as local architecture firm Jaredian and local builder GEC.

“Seven years ago, we had no idea what we were going to do with this site, and here we are today, getting ready to break ground on the first new school in thirty years,” said Governor Albert Bryan Jr. “It has taken a long time to get to this point and we have so much more work to do. So today, as we dig this earth, let’s make a solid promise to ourselves that we are going to be part of the team focused on moving the Territory forward.”

Virgin Islands Arthur Richards PreK–8 School

According to Office of Disaster Recovery Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien, federal partners including FEMA—as well as allowances within the Bipartisan Budget Act—helped make the construction possible. “FEMA has approved the replacement of seven schools in both districts, to include the Claude O. Markoe School in Frederiksted,” she said. “We are grateful for the opportunity afforded to us by our federal partners, not just to rebuild, but to transform the Territory’s education system and provide an environment for our children to learn, develop, and grow.”

The project is scheduled for completion in July 2025, according to the news release.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Construction Begins on New University Research Vessel

    Boat-building company All American Marine recently announced that it has begun construction on a new catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) in Port Aransas, Texas, according to a news release.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • Kimball International Releases Curated Design Support Program

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of a new end-to-end design support program, DesignSuite. According to a news release, its goal is to guide architecture & design professionals and dealer partners through the process from vision to specification.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).