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Alief ISD: Crum Stadium press box under construction; natatorium renovation pushed to 2027 after grant fell through
Summary
Alief ISD construction update: the Crum Stadium press box demolition is complete and site work is underway, but the project came in about $2 million over initial design costs and will be funded from 2015 bond savings. The district's larger natatorium renovation was scaled back after a hoped-for $7 million Harris County grant did not materialize; interior work is now targeted to begin in February 2027.
Alief ISD staff told the school board Feb. 3 that multiple capital projects are progressing while others have been delayed by funding changes. Clem Medina, senior program manager with LAN, reported that the Crum Stadium press box has been demolished and site preparation for underground utilities is underway. Medina said the project is currently in construction and that photos showing the pad outline were part of the presentation.
Trustee Isaac Perez raised concerns about cost, noting he believed the press box had come in over budget. Medina said the project was designed around a figure of about $9 million during design but that additional requirements — including sprinklers and increased fire-rating design — pushed the budget higher and that facilities requested an additional roughly $2 million. Assistant Superintendent Vincent Lewis said the press box is a non-bond project funded from savings in the district’s 2015 bond program.
Medina outlined other work in progress: the Ag Science Center is in construction with heavy timber structure and foundation work underway; district-wide roof improvement projects are active, including skylight installation at Albright Middle School; a district site-improvement project is underway at the transportation center including demolition near the mechanic shop; a new bus-wash system has been installed and is in use for staff training; miscellaneous HVAC work is on final punch-list items.
On the natatorium, staff said the district had pursued a roughly $7 million Harris County grant to pair with an $8 million district contribution for a $15 million full renovation, but the grant award did not come through. That limitation forced the district to reduce scope and move the natatorium building’s major construction to a later start date; staff now expect design work to continue and construction to target February 2027 for interior work. Officials said lower-cost cosmetic and access improvements remain possible sooner.
Board members asked about project history and funding sources; staff traced discussion of the press box back to the 2015 bond and noted it was part of prior bond planning and later bond propositions. Medina said building-code requirements (ADA, sprinkler triggers) and rising construction costs since COVID affected the project's scope and budget.
Transportation-center work is happening in phased segments around active bus and fueling operations; staff expect some parking-area work to be completed shortly after spring break to limit student-transportation disruption.
Trustees praised staff for coordination and asked for continued updates to the board and community as designs and funding options evolve.
