Texas District Awards Construction Contract for New Elementary School

The Friendswood Independent School District in Friendswood, Texas, is ready to begin construction on a new elementary school nearly two years after the original bond was approved. The district’s board of trustees selected Satterfield & Pontikes Construction as the project’s construction manager at its board workshop meeting on Monday, Feb. 28.

The facility will serve as a new home for the existing Cline Elementary School. The project comes with a $36-million budget to come from the $127-million bond approved by voters in November 2020.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for March 11, and the project is scheduled for completion in time to open to students for the 2023–24 academic year. The new school’s architect, PBK Architects, has been working to make sure that supply chain issues will not cause any delays in construction.

“It is a nonnegotiable that kids are coming in August,” said PBK Architects partner Melissa Turnbaugh.

The PBK Architects website reports that the new Cline Elementary School will serve students in grades PreK–5 and feature a centralized learning commons for both large group instruction and small reading and study nooks. Each grade level will have its own pod to provide collaboration and pull-out space for each grade. The campus will also include innovation hubs, maker spaces, art and music classrooms, a new cafeteria and new gymnasium.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • sapling sprouting from a cracked stone

    Lessons in Resilience: Disaster Recovery in Our Schools

    Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a man-made event, preparation determines resilience.

  • 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.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Geometrik

    Armstrong World Industries, designer and manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural applications like ceilings, walls, and metal solutions, recently announced its acquisition of Canada-based Geometrik, according to a news release. The British Columbian Geometrik specializes in designing and manufacturing wood acoustical and wall systems.

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

Digital Edition