Spacious New K-8 School Breaks Ground in the OC

By SCN Staff

IRVINE, Calif.—C.W. Driver Companies recently commenced ground up construction on Solis Park School, a new K-8 school in Irvine Unified School District (IUSD). Located within District 5 of the Great Park Neighborhoods, Solis Park School will serve approximately 1,000 students in the new community of Rise, as well as future communities located within the Heritage Fields development near the Great Park.

C.W. Driver Companies is partnering with PJHM Architects, Inc. on the project; it’s slated to be completed in time for the 2022-2023 school year.

Spanning seven buildings and 103,000 square feet, Solis Park School will feature a full-court gymnasium, an admin building, a multipurpose room, labs, classrooms, a commissary and a parking lot. A permanent childcare facility will also be incorporated for faculty and staff. The new project is one of many IUSD schools built by C.W. Driver Companies, including two Great Park Neighborhoods schools, Portola High School and Cadence Elementary School, among others.

“A long-term partner of IUSD, with a shared commitment to excellence, C.W. Driver Companies is honored to help introduce a new K-8 school in the Great Park Neighborhoods to support the area’s growing community of students, families and educators,” said Tom Jones, project executive, C.W. Driver Companies. “Featuring modern technology, flexible education spaces and myriad collaboration and learning areas, Solis Park School will support IUSD’s mission to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students through high-quality education.”

Solis Park School will be designed to meet criteria developed by the Collaborative for High-Performance Schools (CHPS), the United States’ first green building rating program for K-12 schools. CHPS helps maximize the well-being and performance of students through education facilities that are healthy, energy-efficient and aligned with modern learning.

“With the support of C.W. Driver Companies, a partner whom we’ve trusted and collaborated with for more than 10 years, we’re confident that Solis Park School will become a state-of-the-art learning environment that encourages students to learn, grow and thrive for generations to come,” said John Fogarty, IUSD Assistant Superintendent, Business Services.

Located in Orange County, IUSD comprises a diverse population of 36,000 K-12 students in one early childhood learning center, 24 elementary schools, four K-8 schools, six middle schools, five high schools and one alternative high school. Since becoming a school district in 1972, IUSD schools have been nationally recognized for comprehensive programs in academics, the arts and athletics.

Additional C.W. Driver Companies projects for IUSD include Woodbridge High School Performing Arts Complex; Springbrook Elementary School; Westpark Elementary School; Woodbury Elementary School; Portola High School and Brywood Elementary School, among others. The firm’s Southern California-based K-12 projects in progress include Measure G Modernizations for Country Springs Elementary School; Rolling Ridge Elementary School; Canyon Hills Jr. High School and Townsend Jr. High School in Chino Valley Unified School District.