Alvin ISD unveils schematic design for Alvin High School expansion, aims to link CTE and public spaces

Alvin Independent School District trustees on Oct. 20 reviewed a schematic design for the Alvin High School renovation and expansion, a project funded through the district’s recent bond. Designers said the plan will create a new main entrance consistent with the campus’s historical character, add a Career and Technical Education wing adjacent to Building B, expand dining capacity and add large learning-interaction (LGI) spaces for both student and public use.

The design lead, Nicole Jordan, described the approach as balancing heritage and modern needs: “we are able to show you how we're going to be able to keep that legacy and heritage while transforming this into a state of the art building supporting CTE programs and administrative needs as well as LGIs.” Senior project manager Andres Delgado said the CTE wing will include expanded welding stations, an ROTC area, robotics, health-care programs and other labs.

The designers said the project reorients the main entry to Johnson Street and visually anchors it on the campus horseshoe and flagpole. Renderings shown to the board depict a large portico leading into a grand atrium, covered outdoor collaboration space adjacent to the existing quad, and LGI rooms with high ceilings and operable partitions that can divide a larger space into two. The team said the dining expansion will create roughly 108 additional indoor seats to relieve crowding during lunch periods. The presentation noted the Luke Kennedy building’s current CTE programs would be moved into the new wing, shortening student travel during passing times: the contractor said the new CTE addition will be “within 30 feet from Building B,” reducing outdoor travel for many students.

Trustees asked how the plan addresses moving between buildings and whether students would still need to go outside between classes. One trustee asked, “Will these ... upgrades assist with connecting all of the buildings, where students are traveling from one class to another? They won't have to go outside any longer. They will be able to stay in a building the entire time.” Designers and district staff said work with the fire marshal and existing code constraints means some existing buildings will not be fully enclosed, so the design relies on covered walkways and preserved breezeways to minimize outdoor exposure while avoiding costly retrofits to unsprinkled historic buildings.

Superintendent Nelson and facilities staff credited the design team and campus committee for multiple review rounds and said cost scrutiny has been active throughout the process. The district said PBK (the design partner named in the presentation) has been responsive to cost-control feedback from district facilities staff. No vote was taken; the board received the schematic presentation and engaged in Q&A about circulation, program moves to the new CTE wing and plans for further refinements.

The district said the project will proceed through additional design iterations, continued coordination with the fire marshal and contractors, and further board updates before construction documents and a guaranteed maximum price are presented for approval.