Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Fort Collins to Convert 1980s Office Park into Junior High School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/01/25

The Liberty Common School, a charter-public school in Fort Collins, Colo., recently broke ground on an adaptive reuse project that will convert an 1980s-era office park into a 45,000-square-foot junior high school for seventh- and eighth-grade students, according to a news release. The school currently has three campuses—two for K–6 students, and one for 7–12 students. The school is partnering with design-build firm Neenan Archistruction on the project, which is scheduled to open in fall 2025.

The work involves renovating two existing buildings into classrooms, connected by a new facility that will house the gymnasium and cafeteria, the news release reports. Creating a single facility will provide safety and security benefits and streamline campus navigation. Parking spaces around the facility will be converted into green, outdoor spaces for student use.

“All of our partners on this project have been absolutely wonderful,” said Bill Pigg, Neenan Archistruction president. “We’ve had the privilege of working with Liberty Common School once again, and their commitment to providing a classical education is truly inspiring. We also appreciate the collaborative efforts of Jeff Jensen, the building’s owner representative, and the City of Fort Collins, whose support was crucial in securing our permits.”

The full design-build process will take about ten months, compared to the average charter-school-construction time of about 15 months, the news release reports. Neenan partnered with the school to review both new construction and adaptive reuse options for the new junior high school. The office park was both financially efficient and close to an existing campus.

“Transforming an outdated office building into a fully functional school campus takes a great deal of planning and coordination, and we are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Neenan and the City of Fort Collins in bringing this vision to life,” said Kathleen Kearney, Liberty Common Junior High School principal and project manager. “A student’s environment plays a vital role in their education and we can’t wait to welcome Liberty Common Junior High students to their new campus this fall.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • 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.