After a two-year-long process, the new Ballou High School will be completed in time for the spring 2015 academic term.
But construction is hardly over for the $142.5 million D.C. Public Schools project, according to Kenneth Diggs of the District Department of General Services.
Demolition of the old school building and construction of a new stadium and parking lot will begin as soon as the new building opens at 3401 4
th Street SE. The stadium and parking lot will be completed by August 2015.
Diggs says the new school is 356,000 square feet, versus the existing school of 271,300 square feet. The state-of-the-art school is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification via energy-saving features like high-performance window glazing, lighting controls, “green” building material and enhanced construction methods.
Inside, students will have spaces dedicated to the arts; an auto-repair shop to teach auto mechanics; digital photography, television production and music recording studios; a cosmetology lab and hair salon for future beauticians; a teaching kitchen; a fitness center and eight-lane swimming pool; and a three-tier auditorium.
A community center will be co-located in the new school building, and a
health care suite in the community center with services like dentistry will be available for students as well as residents of the surrounding neighborhood.
In the 2013-2014 academic year, Ballou, officially Frank W. Ballou High School, enrolled 678 students in grades 9
th through 12
th. The school opened in 1960 to serve the Ward 8 community, encompasing the southern Anacostia neighborhoods of Congress Heights, Washington Heights and Bellevue.