Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/17/26

Key Takeaways

  • The new 115,111-square-foot Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater reached a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony marking the placement of its final structural beam.
  • The $74.5 million campus will feature extensive arts-focused amenities, including a 34,034-square-foot performing arts center with seating for more than 700, a black box theater, classroom buildings, and student support spaces.
  • District leaders emphasized that the project, slated for completion in fall 2026, reflects a long-term commitment to expanding creative and educational opportunities for students and the broader community.

Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam. The district partnered with McCarthy Building Companies and ADM Group on the 115,111-square-foot facility.

Amenities are set to include two one-level classroom buildings and a two-story facility with a black box theater, cafeteria, administrative space, a media center, and more classroom space. The campus will also feature a 34,034-square-foot performing arts center including front-of-house space, a lobby, seating capacity of more than 700, and a back-of-house area with flex space and a food service area, according to the news release.

“The beam represents more than steel and signatures,” said Kristen Acton, Governing Board President for AFHSD. “It symbolizes our shared commitment to students, families, and this community. Every decision behind this project was made with learning, opportunity, and long-term impact in mind.”

Construction started in May 2025 and has an estimated completion date of fall 2026, and the full project cost about $74.5 million. McCarthy Building Companies served as general contractor, and ADM as designer.

“Most of all, we can’t wait to have students walk through these doors,” said Julie Jones, Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater Principal. “And as we sign this beam today, I am reminded that it is their courage to create, perform, and grow that is the heart of Hilltop. They are the ones who inspire us and remind us why this work matters.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • North Carolina District Completes New Elementary School

    The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Holly Springs, N.C., recently announced that construction on a new elementary school has finished, according to a news release. Rex Road Elementary School measures in at 133,000 square feet and is the fifteenth school that general contractor Balfour Beatty has completed for the district.

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.