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Construction on Wilson Montessori is nearing the homestretch as work on the school’s new thee-story addition reached 75 percent completion this quarter.
The Montrose-area kindergarten through eighth grade school is receiving a $24.7 million makeover as part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond program. The project includes construction of a new addition, as well as renovations to the historic facility, which was built in 1924.
“It’s been a great experience for our students and staff to see progress almost every day,” Wilson Montessori Principal Beth Bonnette said. “This has been a school-wide learning project for us, and we’re all excited to see and experience the end result.”
The addition will prominently feature a two-story library space with large exterior windows to bring in plenty of natural light and connect students to the outdoors. It will also house a large learning center, a drama room, multipurpose rooms, science labs, and a new cafeteria and dining area.
See time-lapse video of Wilson Montessori construction.
Renovations to the administrative offices, reception area, security vestibule, clinic, and library were completed in August.
The addition was fully enclosed in the third quarter and received permanent power last month. Workers are now focused on interior finishes throughout the building, including painting and installation of floors, doors, and ceilings, which will continue into the first quarter of 2018.
Also in the first quarter of next year, concrete for the building’s access drive will be poured and general landscaping will be installed, bringing the addition to completion by spring.
Work will then move to additional renovations in the old building, where crews will convert the cafeteria, auditorium, and teacher work rooms into new classroom spaces and learning areas. A new parking lot, detention pond, and soccer fields round out the remaining project scope, which is expected to wrap up in the third quarter of 2018.
Bond construction is underway at roughly two dozen campuses in HISD, and almost 50 percent of bond projects are now complete and open to students. 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 construction updates on the 2012 Bond Program and school construction across the district.