Texas District Debuts New Agriculture Building

The Stafford Municipal School District in Stafford, Texas—part of the Houston metropolitan area—recently celebrated the opening of a new Agriculture Building. The 3,000-square-foot space cost a little over $1 million and has been in the works for more than five years, according to a news release. Students will begin using the new space this month.

Students from Stafford High School will use the space to keep and raise large farm animals. The facility consists of a concrete structure with a metal roof and includes amenities like a controlled entry access gate, security cameras, animal stalls with fans, a tack room, administrative space, parking and extended outdoor space for animals to feed. District students will show and compete with their animals at agricultural events like the Fort Bend County Fair and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

“Having a brand-new agricultural facility is very important to the students, parents and advisors,” said Victor Fleming, program manager for Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc., which oversaw the management of the project. “The new facility is great for the district’s agricultural science program and our community.  It will allow students the opportunity to apply skills and concepts they are learning in the classroom in a real-world setting.”

Once the space is up and running, elementary- and middle-school students will also visit to learn more about animal health and nutrition in a controlled environment.

“It’s a gift and reality to have an expanded and upgraded building. The previous facility had to be demolished to allow for a new access road, and this is truly a benefit for our students,” said SMSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Bostic.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Miami University Approves New $242M Multipurpose Arena

    Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, recently announced that its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a new multipurpose arena at Cook Field, according to university news. The $242-million project will serve as a new centralized hub for student life and create space for economic development on campus.