Plans for Plano ISD’s new Career and Technology Education building are taking shape.

The big picture

The new center is set to be built on an empty plot of land at the southwest corner of Alma Drive and Park Boulevard.

The 120,000-square-foot building will house 13 CTE programs, according to a presentation at the Feb. 13 PISD board of trustees meeting from Huckabee Chief Design Officer Konrad Judd. Huckabee is the architecture firm in charge of designing the center.

The new center will have spaces for the following programs:
  • Architecture
  • Business, marketing and finance
  • Construction management and inspection
  • Construction technology
  • Culinary arts
  • Digital communication
  • Graphic design
  • Information technology
  • Paint and collision repair
  • Radiology and EMT
  • Robotics
  • Travel, tourism and attractions
  • Welding
Ten programs will be located on the building’s first floor, while two will be on the second floor. The business, marketing and finance program has dedicated spaces on both floors, according to the presentation.


The context

Programs at the CTE Center include some new programs and some expanded programs that are already offered at PISD. PISD CTE Director Karen Buechman said several factors were considered when picking programs for the CTE Center.

“We looked at what we currently have and what our needs are in the district,” she said.

Buechman added equitable opportunities for all students, labor market data and student trends were all taken into consideration.


“Every one of these programs is a highway to in-demand professions,” she said.

The location and plan for the center also allows for expansion or adaptation to add or update programs for workforce needs, Judd said. That flexibility was a major goal for the district when planning the space, PISD Superintendent Theresa Williams said.

The center will also have four entrances to the main parking lot on Park Boulevard and Alma Drive for student drivers, and one entrance on Columbia Place for school buses. Judd said the plan was constructed to ensure buses and student drivers were “mingling as little as possible.”

What’s next


The CTE Center is part of PISD’s 2022 bond, and is expected to cost around $76.67 million.

The design of the center is expected to be finalized in August, with construction expected to begin in October and last until 2026, according to a previous presentation at the Feb. 1 joint meeting between PISD and the city of Plano.

A recording of the Feb. 13 board meeting, which includes a full presentation on the CTE center, can be found on the district’s website.