New Barbara Jordan High Coming Along On Schedule

HOUSTON, TX — The new Barbara Jordan High School for Careers is beginning to take shape with the building's footprint almost finished and exterior and interior wall framing underway.

Roof installation — a major project milestone — is nearly complete, and installation of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems is underway. In addition, the building will be fully enclosed by the end of May.

Jordan's $42.4 million construction project is a part of HISD's voter-approved 2012 Bond Program, which calls for the renovation or rebuilding of 40 schools, including 29 high schools. The 120,000-square-foot career center will accommodate 600 to 800 students who will spend part of the day at their home school and part of the day at Jordan participating in specialized, hands-on career training.

"The building is going up very quickly, and it's exciting to see the progress each day," Jordan Principal Ross McAlpine said. "Students will soon be learning in a state-of-the-art facility."

The building will feature specially designed spaces for a variety of career and technology programs, including auto and diesel, health science, construction technology, cosmetology, early childhood development, culinary arts, marketing/entrepreneurship and welding.

The first floor will consist of administrative, cosmetology, marketing, and culinary spaces, and large shops for construction, auto/diesel, and welding. The second floor will contain the health science wing and math classrooms. Quieter programs will be located on one side of the building, while louder courses will be on the other.

A large learning staircase will be located in the center of the school as part of a flexible learning commons, which can be used for studying, impromptu lectures, project work, or career exploration programs.

Building construction is slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2018. After students move into the new building, the existing facility will be demolished to make way for a parking lot.

Active construction is underway on roughly two dozen 2012 Bond campuses across the district, and half of all projects are finished 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 updates on the 2012 Bond Program and school construction across the district.

Information courtesy of Houston ISD.

Photo via Houston ISD