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

  • 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.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.