Add as a preferred source on Google

Nonprofit Releases Renderings for New Uvalde Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/24/23

Local news reports that the nonprofit organization planning a new elementary school for Uvalde, Texas, recently released renderings of the new facility. Robb Elementary School, the site of the school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead in May 2022, is scheduled for demolition, according to local leaders. The replacement facility is scheduled for completion in 2024 and will have a capacity of 800 students, according to KENS. The new facility will measure in at about 120,000 square feet, about twice the size of the existing campus.

“We haven’t had a new school in Uvalde since 1985,” said Uvalde Precinct 4 Judge Lalo Diaz. “So whatever we are going to give them is state-of-the-art.” Local news reports that Diaz is the co-chair of a committee comprised of educators, parents, and first responders who are collaborating with architects on the new school. Diaz also served as the coroner on the day of the mass shooting.

The new school’s design places a heavy emphasis on security. The executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, Tim Miller, described security features and additions upon the design’s release. They include fencing around outdoor play areas, keyless entry, 9-foot privacy gates, a secure area for visitors near the building’s entrance, and a new road to provide first responders with quicker access to the school.

Other features include an air-conditioned gymnasium, two playgrounds, and an outdoor courtyard.

“We have had conversations about bullet-resistant film, especially on the windows that serve as the perimeter,” said Natalie Arias, co-chair on the advisory committee and the academic dean at Uvalde High School.

Diaz also revealed that the new school would pay tribute to the 21 victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary, although the specifics of the design are still in development. Local news reports that a separate committee will soon meet to come up with the new school’s name, and the foundation will host another meeting with completed schematics on March 20.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Texas A&M Breaks Ground on Campus Visitor Center

    Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new campus learning hub and visitor center, according to a news release. The 211,000-square-foot Aplin Center will stand three stories and is scheduled to open to students in 2028.

  • Longwood University Selects Builder for $73M Performing Arts Center

    Longwood University in Farmville, Va., recently announced that it has selected Swedish construction company Skanska as the builder of its new performing arts center, according to online news. The project involves the demolition of the current building and constructing a new, 64,500-square-foot facility.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • Anderson Brulé Architects Rebrands as ABA Studios

    Anderson Brulé Architects, based in San Jose, Calif., recently announced that it is celebrating 40 years of service by rebranding under a new name, according to a news release. The architectural, interior design, and planning firm will now be known as ABA Studios to refresh its identity underneath a new generation of leadership.

Digital Edition