HSPVA and HSLJ graduating seniors get glimpse of new facilities

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It was a bittersweet moment for seniors from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) and High School for Law and Justice (HSLJ) as they recently got a sneak peek inside their schools’ newly constructed buildings.

HSLJ students held a senior awards breakfast in their new building, while HSPVA students were treated to a barbeque lunch during their visit. Both groups posed for a special class photo to commemorate the occasion.

“We really wanted them to see the new building before they moved on,” HSLJ Principal Carol Mosteit said. “The students were amazed when they walked in. Their faces were priceless.”

As part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program, both schools are receiving new buildings, which will be completed later this year. HSLJ will open to students in August, and HSPVA will open to students in January 2019.

“Even though they won’t get to experience the new facility as students, I know they are happy for the artists who will come behind them,” HSPVA Principal Scott Allen said. “They’ll enjoy the building as alumni.”

HSLJ’s new campus, located at 3505 Coyle Street, is in the final stages of construction with work on flooring, interior finishes, and “punch list” items remaining. Most new furniture has been moved in, and items from the Dickson Street campus will be moved in June and July.

Ongoing work on the new Kinder HSPVA, located in downtown Houston at 790 Austin Street, includes installation of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, interior and exterior finishes, and built-in furniture and fixtures.

“I’m kind of jealous of the kids who will get to go here,” HSLJ senior Naveen Moscoso. “I’m amazed at the open spaces and big windows. It’s so nice and pretty.”

HSLJ and Kinder HSPVA are among 40 schools, including 29 high schools, being renovated or rebuilt as part of the 2012 Bond Program. More than 50 percent of all bond projects are now finished and open to students, and that number is expected to grow to 80 percent by the end of the year. Once all work is finished, HISD will boast of one of the most modern portfolios of urban high schools in the country.

Follow @Build_HISD on Twitter for the latest updates on the 2012 Bond Program and school construction across the district.