Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Construction topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Architect unveils schematic design for new McDowell County elementary backed by $42 million grant
Summary
Architects showed an 86,000‑square‑foot schematic for a new elementary school funded by a $42 million needs‑based capital grant, with 35 K–5 classrooms, six pre‑K/Head Start rooms and a planned bid window around Christmas; board discussed site remediation and DPI review items.
Architect Patrick McMurray presented schematic designs for a new elementary school funded by a $42,000,000 needs‑based capital grant, telling the McDowell County Board of Education the building will be roughly 86,000 square feet with about 35 kindergarten-through‑fifth grade classrooms and six pre‑K/Head Start classrooms.
McMurray said the design emphasizes supervision, circulation and long‑term flexibility and includes a two‑story portion for older grades and a single‑story wing for early‑grade classrooms. He described a commons area that can be isolated for after‑hours events, multiple teacher workrooms on each floor, large stacked restrooms and a mechanical mezzanine for maintenance access. The schematic also places car rider and bus drop‑off areas on opposite sides of the site, and shows a secure entry tucked behind the highway frontage to reduce direct access from Highway 70.
Mr. Marsh (operations), who introduced the architect, briefed the board on site remediation at the borrow site on Ridge Road and said contractors already have removed and balanced substantial earth on the site. To address soil issues discovered at the new‑school location, McMurray and the civil engineer recommended helical piers to create a stable platform for footings; Marsh said the remediation will be covered by the project's contingency and will not exceed the current allocation.
Board members asked about required reviews. Attorney John Henning and the architect said rezoning has been completed so the use is allowed; the project still needs a land development permit from the city and plan review with DOT for roadway stacking and circulation. McMurray said the Department of Public Instruction had approved the schematic to move to design development with only minor comments — including secure‑vestibule and fire‑rating considerations — that will be incorporated in the next phase.
McMurray estimated the design schedule would allow the district to bid the project around Christmas, with construction moving through spring 2029 and teacher move‑in late spring to summer 2029. The board was shown renderings and site plans during the presentation.
Next steps the board discussed included submitting design development packages for city and DOT review, resolving DPI technical comments, and finalizing the bid package.
