Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Texas High School Faces Rising Construction Costs

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 10/17/19

Construction on Frisco ISD’s newest high school began this summer amidst rising costs of building materials and labor shortages. These challenges led to a $13 million project increase for the newly named Emerson High School, putting the total to about $111.6 million, reported the Dallas Morning News.

Various factors contributed to the higher price tag of the school but one of the greatest factors is the state’s worker shortage due to immigration policies and lack of specialized workers. A recent survey from the Associated General Contractors of America found that about 80 percent of contractors nationwide reported difficulties finding craft workers to hire.

In addition, immigrants make up nearly half of the Dallas area’s jobs in construction, according to a new study by the New American Economy. But latest immigration policies have contributed to a shortage of workers. Due to Frisco’s rapid growth, the school has had to compete for workers against other construction industries.

The rising cost of materials, like lumber and steel, impacted the 14 percent increase of the school as well, a spokeswoman for Frisco ISD told Dallas Morning News. The district also tacked on about $4 million worth of additional features that weren’t in the original school plans, including synthetic turf athletic fields, a paved marching band field and security features.

Emerson High School is funded through the 2014 bond program and set to be completed in 2021.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • El Paso District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Canutillo Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, recently announced that construction has begun on a 119,000-square-foot elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects, Carl Daniel Architects, and LDCM Solutions on the new Davenport Elementary School, which has an expected completion date of 2027.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • T&T Construction Management Group Completes Pasco High School Expansion

    Pasco High School in Dade City, Fla., recently announced that it has completed an expansion project in partnership with T&T Construction Management Group, Inc., Harvard Jolly Architecture, and Williams Company.

  • 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).