Webber, LLC has been selected by Houston ISD to renovate historic Stephen F. Austin High School in a two-phase project. Construction will include an extensive temporary building education complex along with the demolition and construction of the majority of the existing campus and interior renovations to original 1936 existing facility.
The Stephen F. Austin High School renovation project is part of the 2012 HISD bond referendum for the construction of new schools, renovations, enhancements and other projects to meet the growth needs of the school district.
Tim Creson, president & CEO of Webber, LLC, said:
"We're excited with the unique direction we're taking to renovate a historical building"He added:
"We pride ourselves on the construction of education spaces that encourage collaborative learning and the Commercial Division of Webber has a long history of building these solutions for many of the school districts across the greater Houston-area."Phase one of will begin in June 2017. There will be a total of 11 portable buildings, which will include 90+ classrooms, all administration offices, choir and a band space. A modular "multi-purpose" structure will also include an air-conditioned dining commons and will also be adaptable for PE activities. The CTE welding classes will be in a permanent pre-engineered structure due to the potential fire hazards and weights implications. Phase 1 will be completed in December 2017. Phase 2 will begin in December 2017 and include the demolition of the interior of the old school while keeping the historic front façade and renovating the original building built in 1936. In addition, it includes demolition of the rest of the campus buildings that have been added over the years and will be replaced with 184,000 square feet of new buildings. The new buildings will include the gyms, new classrooms, a library, band and music rooms and science labs. Classroom sizes will increase in size from the current 620-700 square feet to 850 square feet. Science labs size will double. The exterior of the building will have new hardscaping, landscaping and outdoor learning spaces to give the school life into the 21st century. Phase 2 is set to complete in December of 2019.
