Houston Area Middle School Hosts Topping Out Ceremony

By SCN Staff

HOUSTON—Stafford Municipal School District (MSD) has just celebrated the topping out ceremony of its new middle School. The event took place on the project site with a beam signing ceremony to commemorate the special occasion

The middle school, which can accommodate 950 students in grades 6-8, is being constructed as part of Stafford MSD’s $62 million bond program that passed in November 2017. Designed by AutoArch Architects and constructed by Drymalla Construction, it will offer instructional spaces and programs designed to attract a diverse student population throughout the school district.

The three-story building, spanning 127,262 square feet, includes cutting-edge science laboratories, library, two gymnasiums and a cafetorium. The new middle school will replace the existing middle school, which was built in 1983 during the district’s inception. The construction of the new middle school will be completed in June 2020 in time for occupancy by staff and enrollment in August 2020.

“The new middle school is aesthetically appealing and offers unique instructional opportunities for Stafford MSD students,” said JP Grom, vice president at Lockwood Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), the firm serving as the program manager for the bond program.

Other elements of the bond program include a new grades 3-12 magnet school for Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) – the only one of its kind in Fort Bend County, a new administration building with a visitor’s center, and a repurposed community center in place of the current administration building. The bond program also includes an educational plaza and an early childhood center.

LAN is a full-service consulting firm offering planning, engineering and program management services for the nation’s heavy civil infrastructure needs.