City Council unanimously approved a request by Richardson ISD to begin the second phase of expansion plans at JJ Pearce High School.

The application included the construction of an additional 74,000 square feet of classroom, office and lobby space. It also included the relocation of existing driveways along Melrose Drive and a revision to the parking lot configuration, according to city documents.

This request follows council approval earlier this year for the first phase of construction, which included expansion of two wings of the building, the relocation of the softball field, the addition of a soccer field and modifications to a parking lot on Melrose, according to the city.

The second phase of construction was approved by RISD voters as part of the district’s 2021 bond program, said James Watson, RISD’s executive director of operations, during the Oct. 18 council meeting.

A guaranteed maximum price of $17 million for Phase 2 was approved by the district's board of trustees Aug. 18, according to previous reporting by Community Impact Newspaper. The budget for the entire Pearce construction project, which will include three phases, is $103.76 million, according to the district.