Richardson ISD board approves $17M for second phase of construction at JJ Pearce High School

The Richardson ISD board of trustees approved a guaranteed maximum price of more than $17 million for the second phase of a planned expansion and renovation project at JJ Pearce High School during its Aug. 9 meeting.

The second phase of the project will include upgrades to existing systems and infrastructure as well as the construction of building additions to increase campus capacity, according to RISD Chief Executive Director of Operations James Watson. He said the additions will include a two-story building at the northwest corner of the existing building and a one-story addition on the south side of the school.

The improvements will be paid for with funds from RISD's 2021 bond package, which was approved by voters May 1.

The plan for the second phase of the project was approved unanimously by the board with Superintendent Jeannie Stone calling it “exciting” for the community.

“I just want to say thank you to our community for this funding for the project,” trustee Eron Linn said. “We are truly excited about the project and adding to the capacity and some other updates at the school.”

Watson previously gave the board a rough timeline estimate of August 2022 for completion of the second phase of work.

The board approved a guaranteed maximum price of just over $6 million for the first phase of the project during its June 7 meeting.

The district's budget for the entire Pearce construction project, which will include three phases, is $103.76 million.

The project’s third phase is slated to include work on existing classroom and school spaces as well as upgrades to systems and infrastructure. Watson said pricing for that phase is expected to go before the board in March of next year.