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Middlesex officials weigh $62.5M renovation against $73.8M rebuild for high school
Summary
Architects presented two paths for the MHS campus: Option 6, a $62.5 million major renovation with additions; and Option 7, a $73.8 million plan that demolishes and replaces most buildings. Board members asked for a detailed financial breakdown before choosing a path.
Architects from Moseley presented two competing facility plans for the Middlesex High School campus during a joint Board of Supervisors and School Board work session on July 22, 2026, in Saluda.
Stephen Halsey described Option 6 as a "major renovation and strategic addition" with an estimated cost of about $62.5 million and roughly 146,000 finished square feet, including a new gymnasium, dedicated dining and kitchen space, and a new auditorium while modernizing existing wings. He said Option 7 — developed after committee requests for a fuller rebuild — would cost about $73.8 million and produce about 154,000 finished square feet by retaining only the 2002 two-story academic wing and athletic facilities.
The architects framed the difference in part as added circulation and support space needed to "complete the loop" of a new building footprint; the transcript notes roughly 8,000 additional square feet in Option 7 for that reason. Board members asked for line-item detail. Supervisor Reginald A. Williams, Sr. pressed for a more granular breakdown of where the $20–30 million in new construction spending would be allocated, especially for the gymnasium and auditorium.
The presentation also spelled out demolition scope (the oldest one-story "east wing" under Option 6) and aesthetic goals such as a cohesive "new skin" and improved passive supervision for security. The architects outlined phasing advantages of Option 6, which could allow a new classroom wing to serve as "swing space" and potentially avoid portable classrooms during construction.
The board did not take a vote on a preferred option; members said they needed more detailed cost information before committing to a course of action. The project history presented to the boards dates the planning effort to a 2021–22 inception and notes ongoing steering committee work and refinement through 2024–25.
