Eanes ISD purchases $4.95M piece of land next to Westlake High School for expansion

Eanes ISD approved the $4.95 million purchase of land adjacent to Westlake High School at the Dec. 13 meeting.

Located at 401 Camp Craft Road, West Lake Hills, the land holds an office building. The purchase will allow the district to expand instructional opportunities and student parking, according to a district press release.

“It was a very competitive opportunity, but it is adjacent to our high school, and that doesn’t come along very often. The ability to expand programs and use it strategically for school district benefit I think is huge,” Board Member Ellen Balthazar said.

Of the $4.95 million, $4.6 million in funding for the project comes from previous land sales in 2015, in which the board designated proceeds to future capital improvements, Superintendent Jeff Arnett said.

“A substantial amount of the money being approved this evening, potentially, has been in the reserves for a number of years, and we’re excited now to finally have an opportunity for it that we think will benefit our high school campus,” Arnett said.

The Westlake High School addition will be included in long-range facilities planning in the coming months, which aligns with the district’s ongoing discussions about a future $110 million-$130 million bond in May or November, according to the press release.

“In a land-locked district, in an extremely small campus size [compared] to the most modern high schools, I think this is an important asset, and I’m really excited about the possibility,” Board Member Jennifer Champagne said.