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Terrebonne committee reviews conceptual design for Allender Memorial High School rebuild
Summary
Architects presented a conceptual reconstruction plan for Allender Memorial High School that responds to FEMA constraints, replaces the old auditorium with a multiuse 'cafetorium', increases classroom sizes and consolidates athletics; FEMA approval and community input were raised as key next steps.
Architect Craig Hebert told the Terrebonne Parish BFT committee that the conceptual design for Allender Memorial High School is intended to be “modern and state of the art,” but remains contingent on FEMA approval.
The presentation, introduced by a district staff presenter, explained that new FEMA rules and the agency’s repair‑versus‑replace threshold (the so‑called “50% rule”) meant the project could not increase the school’s footprint beyond the roughly 179,000 square feet of the original building. Hebert said the team therefore designed the replacement at about 179,000–180,000 square feet and reallocated space within that limit to boost daily utility and security.
Why it matters: The design choices shift space away from a rarely used, single‑purpose auditorium toward a multiuse “cafetorium” that Hebert said would allow the district to use the same area daily for meals, assemblies and performances. The change frees approximately 25,700 square feet for reallocation — including about 4,500 square feet of additional…
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