Renovation / Modernization


Philadelphia Elementary School Completes $22M Renovation Project

Edwin Forrest Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pa., recently celebrated the completion of a $22-million renovation project, according to a news release. The School District of Philadelphia partnered with DIGroup Architecture (DIG) for the project’s design. Work on the almost century-old campus included significant interior renovations, repairs to the exterior building envelope, and restoration.

Essex High School Completes Four-Year Renovation Project

Brentwood County High School in Brentwood, Essex, United Kingdom, recently completed a four-year project to approve student accessibility and retention, according to a news release. Additions to the school include two new specialist teaching blocks, a renovated sports hall, new landscaping, and a multi-use play area.

Wisconsin District Completes $21M Renovation to Middle and High School

Integrated construction management firm Kraus-Anderson recently announced the completion of a $21-million renovation project to the middle and high school in Ladysmith, Wis., according to a news release.

Wesleyan University to Convert Vacant Factory Space into Arts Lab

Wesleyan University recently announced the start of construction on a new Integrative Arts Lab for its campus in Middletown, Conn., according to a news release. The university is partnering with Bruner/Cott Architects on the transformation of a vacant factory building into an 18,700-square-foot space that will serve as the “nexus of the arts” on campus.

Hogg Memorial Auditorium

Hogg Memorial Auditorium

Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Hogg Memorial Auditorium at the University of Texas at Austin has been recognized with an EDS 2024 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

School of Packaging Renovation & Addition

School of Packaging Renovation & Addition

Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Michigan State University has been recognized with an EDS 2024 Project of Distinction award in the category of Renovation.

Proviso West High School Advanced Manufacturing Lab

Proviso West High School Advanced Manufacturing Lab

Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Proviso West High School Advanced Manufacturing Lab has been recognized with an EDS 2024 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

Kraus-Anderson Starts $29.5M Renovation for Minnesota K–12 District

Construction management firm Kraus-Anderson recently announced the launch of a $29.5-million renovation project for Jordan Public Schools in Jordan, Minn., according to a news release. The district also partnered with ISG for the project’s design, which will cover a combined 96,435 square feet across two locations.

Massachusetts Day School Prepares for $11M Campus Addition Project

The Wheeler School, an independent college preparatory school in Seekonk, Mass., recently announced a series of capital projects in development that are set to begin construction this spring. MassDevelopment & Berkshire Bank issued an $11-million bond that will go toward an eight-lane pool; an outdoor splash pad; a restroom, dressing room, and storage building; and a new two-story early learning center, according to a news release.

Roanoke College Breaks Ground on New Science Center

Roanoke College in Salem, Va., recently broke ground on the first phase of a new Science Center, according to a college news release. The three-phase project will transform three buildings on campus into a new STEM hub for academics and research. The first phase of construction entails the demolition of a 1970s-era auditorium building to make room for a $30-million academic building.

Florida Elementary School Undergoes $5M Renovation Project

Fruitland Park Elementary School in Fruitland Park, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a $5-million facilities upgrade project, according to a news release. The district partnered with D&A Construction Group, designer Schenkel & Shultz, civil engineer Klima Weeks, and Matern Professional Engineering to upgrade the school with modern technology and improved efficiencies.

Facility for Students with Autism and Learning Disorders Opens in Massachusetts

Reuse of existing buildings is nothing new in Massachusetts, where three-hundred-year-old structures aren’t out of the ordinary. The renovation of older buildings to serve fresh purposes can pose a range of opportunities and challenges. Massachusetts-based construction firm Colantonio recently renovated a century-old building in Quincy, Mass., to serve as a children's special education facility.

Colburn School in Los Angeles Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion

The Colburn School in Los Angeles, Calif., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 100,000-square-foot expansion designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, according to a news release. The Colburn School is a music and dance education and performance institute that offers services to people of all ages, from 7-month-olds to adults.

Spaces4Learning Launches 2024 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey

Spaces4Learning recently launched its 2024 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, an annual report on the previous year’s construction projects at K–12 and higher education institutions nationwide. The data gathered is essential to creating an accurate industry report that offers a snapshot of current trends in school facilities with minimal time commitment.

Skanska USA Completes Two K–12 Projects for Florida School District

Construction and development firm Skanska USA recently announced that it has completed two projects for Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, Fla., according to a news release. The projects include a $47-million campus conversion at Collins PK–8 School and a $12-million upgrade to the athletic complex at Chamberlain High School.

University of Kentucky Starts Renovations on 120-Year-Old Facility

The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently launched a renovation project to restore the historic Scovell Hall, originally built in 1903. The comprehensive rebuild has an estimated completion date of 2026 and will preserve the structure’s north and west entrances. The new facility will cover about 92,000 square feet and play home to administrative services for the university’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), according to a news release.

Gordian Report: Investments in Higher Education Facilities Up 26%

Data-driven solutions provider Gordian recently released its latest State of Facilities in Higher Education report, which revealed that higher-education institutions ramped up their reinvestment in facilities by more than 26% year-over-year during 2023, according to a news release.

Austin Peay State University Debuts New EdTech Studio

Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 11 to celebrate the opening of a new EdTech Studio on its campus. The space within the Eriksson College of Education will offer technological training for pre-service teachers through the use of virtual reality.

California Junior High School Completes Conversion to Middle School

The Fremont Unified School District in Fremont, California, recently finished a multi-phase conversion to Thornton Middle School that will increase the school’s student population by almost 50 percent with the addition of sixth-grade students, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and Blach Construction for the project that totaled 45,000 square feet of new construction and 57,000 square feet of renovation and modernization.

California Elementary School Celebrates Halfway Mark for Music Building Construction

Oak Park Elementary School in San Diego, Calif., recently celebrated the halfway point of construction on a new music building for its campus, according to a news release. District leaders and students gathered on March 7 to watch the school’s music students—the Tempo Tigers—perform in front of the new facility.

California High School Celebrates Groundbreaking for Campus Improvements

Kearny High School in San Diego, Calif., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of a new classroom building and a slew of campus upgrades, according to a news release. The latest in an ongoing series of bond-funded upgrades includes a new, two-story classroom and student services facility; renovations of nine classrooms, the dining area, and the softball field; and the creation of outdoor learning spaces.

University of Arkansas to Renovate Athletics Facility

The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., recently announced a 15-month renovation project for its HPER (Health, Physical Education, and Recreation) Building on campus, according to a university news release. The renovations will feature infrastructure and architectural updates, as well as an additional 13,000 square feet of fitness center space.

How $122 Billion in School Funding Is Fueling Nationwide Construction

Congress appropriated an extremely large amount of funding for school projects, and the final round allocations totaled $122 billion. That’s a huge amount – about $380 per person in the U.S. This revenue came through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program and was delivered with a mandated deadline: It must be obligated by Sept. 30, 2024.

New York Medical College Opens Renovated Basic Sciences Building

New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y., recently opened the doors of its newly renovated Basic Sciences Building (BSB), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture’s Healthcare Studio team for the project, which cost $6.2 million and covers an estimated 18,755 square feet.

Construction Begins on Replacement Facility for 1950s-Era High School

T&T Construction Management Group, Inc., recently began construction on a replacement facility for Jean Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Fla., according to a news release. The original facility was built in 1957.

Construction Specialties Adds Creative Shading System to Savannah College of Art and Design

Nestled within the vibrant landscape of Midtown Atlanta stands FORTY FIVE, an architectural gem that combines residential, academic, and wellness facilities on the grounds of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Offering residence to more than 400 art students, FORTY FIVE provides more than just a place to stay.

Texas City ISD Completes New STEM, Robotics Center

The Texas City Independent School District near Houston, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new STEM and Robotics Center geared towards students across grades K–12, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects and Bartlett Cocke for the project’s design and construction.

California K–12 District Debuts Reconstructed High School

The Mendocino Unified School District (MUSD) in Mendocino, Calif., recently completed a renovation and modernization project on Mendocino High School, according to a news release. The “near-total reconstruction” included updates to educational and student spaces, energy conservation, and the incorporation of all-electric features to be paired with renewable energy sources in future phases.

University of Texas College of Education

University of Texas College of Education

Project of Distinction 2023 Education Design Showcase

Fletcher Administration Building

Fletcher Administration Building

Grand Prize 2023 Education Design Showcase