Fayetteville school district outlines Rainey Junior High design, seeks rezoning for 16.6‑acre infill site amid drainage, canopy concerns

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Dr. John Mulford, superintendent of Fayetteville Public Schools, told the City of Fayetteville’s Environmental Action Committee on June 16 that the district has purchased a 16.6‑acre parcel and will seek rezoning to build a new Rainey Junior High School and related facilities.

The district presented schematic designs that it says prioritize a compact footprint, sustainability standards and reduced travel for students under a new feeder pattern. Mulford said the site design is currently “a 100% electric. No gas of any kind in the design,” and that the district is pursuing SITES and WELL certifications and will seek as much LEED credit as feasible.

The presentation matters because the chosen site is inside the city’s developed area and the district says it aligns with the city’s 2040 plan and 71B corridor goals; neighbors and committee members raised immediate concerns about drainage, how many trees can be preserved, and vehicle queuing on College Avenue.

District presentation and next steps Dr. Mulford and the project team, including Justin Keeney (director of sustainability for the district), architects from Craft & Tull and Lake|Flato, and Hunter Atkinson of Prism Design Studio, described why the district bought the parcel and what comes next. Mulford said the district met with city staff in May and understood the parcel would be allowable under the 71B rezoning; after the council’s December action the district learned the site had not been included and therefore plans to request rezoning now.

Mulford said the main site is 16.6 acres, with an additional three acres the district purchased to secure an egress. He noted the Arkansas Department of Education guidance that recommends roughly 30 acres plus one acre per 100 students for a junior high, and told the committee the district is taking a smaller,…