Oregon District Selects Builder for Multiple Renovation Projects

The David Douglas School District in Portland, Ore., recently selected Balfour Beatty company Howard S. Wright to deliver $15.7 million in renovations and repairs across multiple schools and facilities, according to a news release. The district also partnered with BBL Architects for the projects’ designs.

The projects are scheduled for West Powellhurst Elementary, Floyd Light Middle, and South Powellhurst. Project features include HVAC upgrades, fire alarm replacement, electrical and generator updates, a new security vestibule, and remodeling specialty areas. The contract marks Howard S. Wright’s first expansion into the K–12 education sector. Its previous experience includes higher education projects for the University of Oregon, as well as private and government work.

“We are excited to diversify Howard S. Wright’s project portfolio with the award to deliver K-12 renovations in the Portland area,” said Howard S. Wright senior vice president Ryan McGrew. “Our project team looks forward to leveraging its renovation expertise to provide essential upgrades to David Douglas District schools and enhance the learning environment for students and faculty.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2025 and finish in September 2025, the news release reports.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • St. Lucie County, Fla., Breaks Ground on New K–8 School

    St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie County, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new K–8 school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., for the design of the upcoming Ft. Pierce K–8 School, which comprises six buildings covering 215,000 square feet.

  • school building with glowing circuit board patterns

    AI Is Coming to Schools — But Most School Buildings Still Run on Institutional Memory

    As school districts race to introduce AI into classrooms, administration, and curriculum planning, another conversation is happening behind the scenes: How prepared are school facilities themselves for the operational demands AI will create?

  • Fellowes Expands Finish and Wall-Covering Options for Architectural Wall Systems

    Fellowes Architectural Solutions has expanded the materials library for its architectural wall systems with a series of new finishes and wall-covering options intended to provide architects and designers with additional choices for commercial interiors, according to a company news release.