[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000vtv_8lCiuZg” g_name=”20151029-Furr” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]

Students, staff, alumni and other stakeholders of Furr High School gathered at the school on Thursday to break ground on a new $55 million campus, which is part of HISD’s $1.89 billion bond program.

“It’s a gigantic day for Furr High School,” said Principal Bertie Simmons. “There are so many exciting things about the new school – it’s going to be amazing.”

The new 182,000-square-foot, three-story building is designed to enhance Furr’s science, technology, engineering, and arts program and will include flexible, brightly colored learning areas which can be adjusted through moveable furniture and sliding glass doors.

Students will remain in the existing facility while the new building is erected on the adjacent athletics fields. Once the new building is complete, the current building will be demolished and new athletics fields will be built on that site.

More about the Furr HS project

“The new school is going to make people want to come to school, stay after school, join after-school programs and work with the teachers,” said Furr HS junior Emerson Hernandez, who emceed the groundbreaking ceremony. “It’s going to be bigger and better.”

Furr HS opened in the fall of 1961 on Houston’s east side. The campus currently includes nine school buildings and 15 portable buildings. The new campus will accommodate up to 1,300 students and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2017.

“Great things are happening at Furr, and I’m so proud of everyone,” said HISD District 8 Trustee Juliet Stipeche, who represents the school. “This is a great celebration of a fantastic school.”