Construction Begins on New Denver Middle/High School

Construction on a new middle/high school has begun in the Denver Community School District in Denver, Colo. The new facility will relieve space and capacity issues at the district’s existing school buildings, as its elementary, middle, and high schools currently share a single campus. The new middle/high school will be built separately.

It will be attached to the Cyclone Center, the Denver High School athletic facility built in 2017. Construction of the Cyclone Center was Phase I of a continuing construction and expansion project for DCSD. “We always knew we wanted to upgrade our facilities to match the quality of education that our kids are receiving,” said Denver Community School District Superintendent Brad Lauers.

The $16.44-million, 75,500-square-foot middle/high school is scheduled to open in fall 2022. It will initially welcome 500 students in grades 6-12, but it has the capacity to hold up to 800 as enrollment expands. The district has welcomed 100 new students to its population during the last three years.

The existing school facilities are being pushed to their limits. Storage spaces have been converted into classroom, and an outdoor weight room has become the school’s music room. “It was time to stretch out a little bit,” said Lauers. “We’re a growing community, a growing district, and this will allow us to meet the needs of our students.”

Bids for the project came in slightly higher than expected, and as a result, a planned wrestling room was going to be scrapped. However, the school’s wrestling club is fundraising with a goal of $275,000 to be able to include the space in the new building.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • 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.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • A university

    Breaking Higher Education's Billion-Dollar Backlog Problem

    Strategic mechanical system design can transform campus maintenance backlogs. Here's how.

  • Beyond Four Walls

    Operable glass walls provide a dynamic solution for educational spaces. They align with today’s evolving teaching methods and adapt to the needs of modern learners. Beyond the functional versatility, movable glass walls offer clean, contemporary aesthetics, slim and unobtrusive profiles, and versatile configurations that cater to the evolving needs of students and educators alike.

Digital Edition