The school will be built on Pearson Ranch Road in Austin, a site RRISD selected this summer, and could be open in time for the 2019-20 school year.
O’Connell Robertson was selected in April as the project’s architect. The firm, which is working on the project with DLR group, previously partnered with RRISD to design Success High School on Gattis School Road in Round Rock. Architecture costs of $11 million were paid with surplus money from RRISD’s 2008 bond election, according to the district.
Planning for the new high school so far has involved meetings with RRISD staff, students and community members as well as local and national school tours, said Amy Jones, president of O'Connell Robertson.
"We’ve had tremendous input and participation from all of those involved,” Jones said.
The 481,513-square-foot school would have three stories and include 139 classrooms and labs. It would have a 13,050-square-foot library and a 17,333-square-foot cafeteria, which would be the largest cafeteria of any high school in the district.
The school’s grounds would include space for outdoor and indoor athletics, performing arts and career and technical education programs.
Construction is expected to start in August 2017 and take 25 months to complete at a cost of $150 million, including $130 million for the core facility and $20 million for the school’s auditorium.
District officials want a new high school to alleviate overcrowding at Round Rock High School, which had 3,143 students enrolled during the 2015-16 school year, but could have as many as 4,000 students enrolled by 2021 if overcrowding is not addressed, according to RRISD.
Bartlett-Cooke General Contractors will handle construction management after RRISD trustees approved a $75,000 contract with the company in August.
Funding for the school’s construction may come from a proposed 2017 bond package. RRISD has formed a citizens bond committee to provide input on a possible bond, which trustees must approve by Feb. 17 to ensure the measure makes the May 6 election ballot.
