Category Archives: 2012 bond

Mickey Leland College Prep stakeholders briefed on plans for new school

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The Mickey Leland College Prep Academy community turned out in force this week to hear about the latest plans for their school’s new 21st century campus. More than 125 attended the presentation given by the architect and project manager, which offered the opportunity to view renderings up close and give feedback.

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HISD given go-ahead for Washington HS neighborhood demolition project

A preliminary design concept shows the front of the new Booker T. Washington High School.

A preliminary design concept shows the front of the new Booker T. Washington High School.

Demolition is scheduled to begin in early March, which follows the completion of asbestos abatement at 51 properties in Houston’s Independence Heights neighborhood – properties that were acquired by the district to become a part of the new 21st century campus for Booker T. Washington High School.

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Building projects on display at State of the Schools

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Design renderings for schools in Groups 1 and 2 of the bond program, as well as other building projects, were on display at the 2015 State of the Schools luncheon, generating plenty of interest and conversation, as well as significant social media buzz.

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Sharpstown HS breaks ground for new school

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Sharpstown High School students, staff and alumni were joined by elected officials and business representatives Saturday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony for the school’s new 21st century campus.

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Project Advisory Teams tour 4 innovative schools in D.C. area

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The concept of a 21st century school can be hard to imagine. But Project Advisory Team members from nine HISD schools have a clearer vision after a trip to our nation’s capital last week.

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Waltrip High School getting a modern makeover

Renovations at Waltrip High School are changing the look of the campus as glass installation recently got underway, which will replace aging windows and orange metal panels which date back to 1959 when the school was first built.

Bond Waltrip

A worker installs windows at Waltrip High School.

The change will give the campus a modern feel and be a welcomed by many stakeholders who have expressed a strong desire to see the orange panels go.

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Bond Oversight Committee gets update on bond construction

BOC1The Bond Oversight Committee held its first meeting of 2015 on Tuesday, hearing an update on the bond program and the impact that soaring construction costs are having on HISD’s plan to build or renovate 40 schools.

Since 2012, when Houston voters approved the district’s $1.89 billion bond program, the district has seen an average 44 percent increase in building costs, from about $146 per square foot in 2012 to about $210 per square foot today.

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Spiking construction costs create challenges for bond program

Bond Delmar

HISD trustees got a detailed look on Jan. 22 at the impact of escalating construction costs on the district’s bond program at a workshop that also considered possible strategies to address potential budget gaps.

Since 2012, when Houston voters approved the district’s $1.89 billion bond program to renovate or replace 40 schools, the district has seen an unprecedented jump in building costs, a trend that is posing challenges for school districts across the region and nation.

In Houston, construction costs have jumped an average of 44 percent from about $146 per square foot in 2012 to about $210 per square foot today.

Much of that spike is attributed to the oil and building boom over the last several years, which spurred Houston and much of the state on to a robust economy – even when others were experiencing a downturn. The growth in the energy sector brought an influx of commercial construction projects to the area, along with a huge demand for workers and materials, such as steel and concrete.

The district has already taken some steps to deal with potential gaps, including moving inflation and some reserve dollars to each school’s construction budget. On Thursday, the Board of Education also gave the district the green light to consider other strategies, including waiting to bid a project or re-bidding portions of a project to try to get a better price.

Trustees noted that the recent drop in oil prices may help push construction costs down as energy companies delay building projects and more workers and materials become available.

“I think we owe the taxpayers better than to move forward as if there’s been no change in the economy,” said Trustee Harvin Moore. “As oil prices decline, I’m confident that construction costs will follow, so putting some of our projects on hold is a very logical way to handle this.”

In the coming weeks and months, HISD officials will analyze the various options for each project to determine the best path forward.