Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Modernization Project Begins at San Diego High School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/09/22

San Diego High School in San Diego, Calif., recently kicked off a Whole Site Modernization project intended to rejuvenate the 140-year-old campus. Renovations to the oldest high school in the city will include transforming the campus frontage, expanding the central quad, and renovating student spaces and classrooms, according to a district news release.

Local news reports that construction will be done in phases to minimize disruption to the school’s 2,500 students. The project is scheduled for completion in 2025, said the district.

“We are thrilled to see these improvements come to fruition on our campus,” said Francisca Del Carmen, the school’s principal. “We have 140 years of history at this site; now we get to make another hundred in the high-quality facilities our students deserve.”

The school first opened in 1882. It got a new building in 1907 and another new main building as well as a campus expansion in 1976. Officials gathered on Tuesday, May 3, for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the school’s first major overhaul in 45 years.

According to a project portfolio on the district website, improvements are slated to include:

  • Renovating and modernizing existing buildings, including interior finishes
  • Upgrading HVAC systems
  • Upgrading restrooms to meet code compliance
  • Upgrading campus security systems
  • Expanding the student quad and adding food kiosks
  • Reconfiguring campus parking to streamline student drop-off and pick-up
  • Upgrading the campus stadium and athletic fields for public recreation
  • Constructing a new performing arts/classroom building

“All San Diego Unified students deserve a campus they can be proud of,” said Dr. Lamont Jackson, San Diego Unified Superintendent. “Modern learning environments, like the ones planned at San Diego High, will help students thrive in all of their endeavors.”

Funding for the project comes from three local bond measures—Propositions S and Z and Measure YY—previously approved by San Diego voters.

Swinerton construction company is leading the construction effort, according to local news.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Minnesota District Starts Construction on Early Childhood Learning Center

    Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools in Sauk Rapids, Minn., recently announced that construction has begun on a new early childhood learning center and a new outdoor activities complex, according to a news release.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on Second High School

    The Waller Independent School District in Waller, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will become its second high school, according to a news release.