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Construction at Pilgrim Academy went vertical last month, as workers erected steel columns and framing to support the new building addition.
Work on the $8.9 million project is expected to reach the halfway mark by year’s end.
“It’s wonderful to see the project has progressed to this point,” Pilgrim Principal Diana Castillo said. “The expansion is much-needed, so there’s a lot of anticipation, and we’re eager to move in next spring.”
As part of the Houston Independent School District’s 2012 Bond Program, the kindergarten through eighth grade school is receiving renovations and a new addition that includes a new science lab, a gymnasium, flexible learning areas, teacher work spaces and additional classrooms.
Work already completed includes renovation of the music classroom and music storage area and a new canopy cover for the existing walkway. A new parking lot was also finished in time for the start of the school year.
Workers have completed drilling and installing concrete piers, and poured the concrete foundation for the new addition. Demolition work in the existing multi-purpose room is also underway as workers convert the space into a gymnasium.
In the coming weeks, steel roof joists and exterior masonry will be installed. The building is scheduled to be fully enclosed by year’s end, allowing for work on interior walls and ceilings, as well as mechanical and electrical systems to begin.
Pilgrim Academy was built in 2007 as a new elementary school in the Galleria area and since has expanded to add a middle school program housed largely in temporary buildings.
The expansion and new addition were designed to house the middle school program, and also have the ability to accommodate community meetings and public events. Flexible spaces can be closed off from the rest of the school, and a soccer field also will be available for use after school hours.
More information on the Pilgrim Academy project
Bond construction is underway at roughly two dozen campuses in HISD. Almost 50 percent of bond projects are now complete and open to students. Once all work is done, 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 construction updates on the 2012 Bond Program and school construction across the district.