Northside High School is nearing the end of its fifth and final construction phase, which will bring the project to completion by the third quarter of 2019.
Demolition on a portion of the existing building was recently completed, making way for the new performing arts addition. Foundation work has already begun and walls are going up.
“We are looking forward to having our new building and renovations finished this year,” Northside Principal Cecilia Gonzales said. “Although we’ve been able to move in our new spaces as they were being built, we are excited about having a fully completed school.”
The $66 million project is part of the voter-approved 2012 Bond program and calls for two new additions along with renovations to the historic 1928 building.
The additions include modern spaces for culinary arts and performing arts. The culinary arts addition, which was opened to students at the start of the 2018-2019 school year, features professional ovens, workspaces, and equipment, as well as a walk-in freezer and cooler and a flexible learning space that can be transformed into a restaurant-style dining room.
Renovation work in the existing building is also underway as crews aim to modernize the historic building while preserving its historic architectural façade along Quitman Street and the auditorium. Work also is underway on new classrooms and science labs on the first floor. Additionally, exterior windows will be replaced and additional windows are being installed to bring in more natural light to extended learning and hallway areas.
“The project has been a long journey and it presented its share of surprises and challenges, but we worked together with the school to overcome them,” HISD Construction Services Project Manager Dwight Wilson said. “This school is being transformed into a modern, more energy-efficient, 21st century building that will serve students for a long time to come.”
More than 80 percent of all school construction is now complete, and once all bond projects are done, HISD will boast of one of the most modern portfolios of urban high schools in the nation.
Follow @Build_HISD on Twitter for the latest updates on the 2012 Bond Program and school construction across the district.