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Many bond constrution projects will continue into the fall

The marathon Bond 2019 construction projects at schools throughout 91��Ƭ�� have turned into sprints.

With only a few days left before school starts, construction crews and district facility services teams have been racing to get the buildings ready.

“This is one of the busiest times of the year for us as we button up construction projects, move furniture into new or renovated spaces and get the schools cleaned and ready for students and staff,” said Kelly Horn, 91��Ƭ�� assistant superintendent of facility services.

It’s not that they are necessarily finishing up the construction projects. Many of the projects take months or years. So, most will continue into the fall – but with work done after hours, on weekends and during holidays.

But some of the tasks are being finished quickly to welcome students. For example, Key, Pope, Speer, Atherton, Foster and Johns elementary schools are all getting at least a couple of restrooms renovated. They’ll be ready for school next Wednesday. At Key, they also received new carpet, ceilings and lights over the summer.

At Martin High School, renovations are done in the orchestra and choir rooms. At Arlington High School, they’ve been wrapping up renovations in C Hall to welcome students. The huge addition going up at the school is still under construction and should open in early 2025. At Duff Elementary, the new library is close to completion, and the new gym will open up shortly after the start of school. Sam Houston High School’s library is getting renovated, too, but that work will last until October. And South Davis Elementary has a new freezer-cooler that is almost ready for use.

One of the biggest projects opening for students next week is at , where they now have an expanded cafeteria and kitchen and a new addition that includes 10 classrooms and a new administrative office area. The addition includes a new secure entrance for the school, so it’s a big change. The addition also means that Bailey will no longer have portable buildings.

One project that doesn’t have to get ready for students and teachers this year is the new Joey Rodriguez Junior High School. But construction on the new junior high that will replace Carter Junior High is making good progress as steel and masonry are going up. That project will welcome students and teachers next school year.

It’s been a busy summer of construction for 91��Ƭ��, but now it’s time for construction crews to give the schools back to students and teachers. That doesn’t mean their work will stop though. There’s still a lot to do.

“While we’re wrapping up a number of projects soon – like Bailey, Duff and Sam Houston – a number of others have a long way to go. And we still have quite a few other projects in the design phase that are scheduled to start over the course of the next year,” said Michael Parkos, 91��Ƭ��’s director of facilities planning and construction.

Keep up with all of the bond projects at aisd.net/bond2019.