Trustees approved the price during their June 13 board meeting. Staff said in the presentation to the board that the original 2018 bond price was $21 million. Escalated construction costs and building materials contributed to the increased price tag, as well as changes made to increase the student capacity that the facility can accommodate, staff said. Principal Architect with Huckabee Andre Brackens said the firm worked “diligently” with Crossland Construction to help lessen the effects of construction cost escalation and material shortages, according to FISD meeting documents.
The project will expand the existing building at 9889 Wade Blvd. to accommodate more than 7,500 students, the district stated in a news release.
In January architects with Huckabee presented a working design of the expanded center. The renovation, funded through the FISD’s 2018 bond program, will convert some current spaces into classrooms and repurpose existing classrooms. In all, the campus will have 30 new classrooms and seven multi-purpose spaces to accommodate “active, hands-on learning and future instructional practices,” according to an FISD news release.
Construction will begin on the Career and Technical Education Center later this year. The expanded campus is set to open for classes in the fall of 2024.
