Austin Area Debuts New Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/13/21

The Luling Independent School District in Luling, Texas—part of the Austin metropolitan area—recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility. Shanklin Elementary School came as a result of a bond program passed by voters in May 2019 to upgrade and replace five district facilities in poor condition. The two-story facility cost $23.6 million and measures in at 86,000 square feet.

“The new Shanklin Elementary continues the tradition of excellence so many generations of Luling ISD students have experienced,” said Erin Warren, Luling ISD Superintendent. “The district is excited to welcome our community to see firsthand the extraordinary instructional opportunities in place for future generations of students.”

Shanklin Elementary School
Photo courtesy of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN)

The new facility will replace two existing schools, Luling Primary and Leonard Shanklin Elementary Schools, and consolidate their students, faculty and staff into a single campus. The move will allow the district to divert maintenance and operations funds for Luling Primary School to other purposes.

Amenities in the new school include 42 new classrooms, two playgrounds, a gymnasium, a media center, a cafeteria and kitchen, and an administrative suite, according to a news release. It has also integrated a variety of life-safety and security enhancement measures to keep students safe.

“The new elementary school will meet Luling ISD’s needs for the next 50 years and provide students the infrastructure needed to succeed in the 21st century,” said JP Grom, AIA, vice president of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), which managed the bond program. “In addition to providing a safe environment for students, the facility will also be used by the community for various purposes.”

The school district partnered with Claycomb Associates, Architects for design and Weaver & Jacobs Constructors, Inc. for construction.

The Luling 2019 bond program totaled $31.9 million, and it also included renovations at Gilbert Gerdes Junior High School and converting an existing elementary school into a staff and visitor parking lot.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Tennessee State University Gains Approval for New Engineering Facility

    Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tenn., recently announced that it has received approval from the Tennessee State Building Commission to build a new engineering building on campus, according to a university news release. The 70,000-square-foot, $50-million facility will play home to the university’s engineering programs and the Applied & Industrial Technology program.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • North Dakota State University Completes Music School Renovation

    North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently announced that construction on the Challey School of Music has finished, according to a news release. The university partnered with Foss Architecture & Interiors for design and Kraus-Anderson for construction services, and construction began in July 2024.

  • A university

    Breaking Higher Education's Billion-Dollar Backlog Problem

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