Add as a preferred source on Google

Laredo ISD Provides Updates on $100M in District Construction Projects

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/20/23

The Board of Trustees for the Laredo Independent School District in Laredo, Texas, recently received updates on a series of district construction projects totaling about $100 million, according to local news. Ongoing projects include a new academic wing for Cigarroa High School, a replacement facility for Cigarroa Middle School, a new library for Heights Elementary School, and construction of the new Kawas Elementary School.

According to Assistant Superintendent for Plant Facilities and Support Services Angel E. Velazquez, the new academic wing at Cigarroa High School will soon finish construction of Phase 1, which will house the campus’ core instruction areas. After the completion of Phase 1, demolition of the former instruction wings will begin to clear space for Phase 2, which entails the campus’ vocational shops, according to local news. The project cost an estimated $21 million and is scheduled for completion in late August 2023.

Meanwhile, the district is also planning a new, ground-up facility for Cigarroa Middle School. “This brand-new campus will replace completely the existing facility and will include instructional classrooms, fine art areas, cafeteria, two gymnasiums, special education units, and all required administration areas,” said Velazquez. The project cost $55 million and will be completed in March 2025.

The library at Heights Elementary School saw renovations to include four additional classrooms necessitated by increased enrollment, said Velazquez. The renovation project cost $3 million and will be completed by next month.

Finally, the district is constructing a new elementary school, Kawas Elementary School. “We are currently in the process of completing the construction of the new Kawas Elementary Campus,” said Velazquez. “The total cost of this brand-new facility is $16.4 million and is expected to be substantially completed by October 2023. The scope of work includes classrooms, gymnasium, cafeteria, and administration areas. The existing early childhood area was kept due to its good condition and will be seamlessly connected to the new building, improving the overall security of the facilities.”

Funding for all four projects comes from a 2018 Bond series election approved by LISD taxpayers, local news reports.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Los Angeles City College Breaks Ground on New Administration, Workforce Building

    Los Angeles City College (LACC) in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new $72-million administrative facility, according to a news release. The Cesar Chavez Administration and Workforce Building will stand four stories, cover 67,230 square feet, and play home to a wide variety of the school’s educational and administrative services.

  • Fayetteville State University Opens New Residence Hall

    Fayetteville State University (FSU) in Fayetteville, N.C., recently completed construction on a new $50-million residence hall, according to a news release. The university partnered with KWK/Jenkins • Peer Architects on the design of Bronco Pride Hall.

  • Recent University of Pennsylvania Projects Receive LEED Certifications

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently announced that three of its recent construction projects have earned LEED certifications, according to university news. The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) received a LEED Platinum certification, Amy Gutmann Hall a LEED Gold, and the OTT Center for Track and Field a LEED silver.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

Digital Edition