By Lisa Kopochinski
GLENDALE, Ariz.鈥暵燤cCarthy Building Companies recently broke ground on a new K-8 classroom building for Arroyo School in Glendale, Ariz.
The $16.2 million project for the Washington Elementary School District 鈥� which is being funded through a 2016 voter-approved bond election 鈥� will include 74,600 square feet of new facilities鈥攃lassrooms, a gym, parking, drop-off area and playfields. Once the new classroom building is completed in July 2020, the remaining buildings will be demolished making way for the construction of new parking and play fields.
Originally built in 1974, Arroyo School serves approximately 600 students in grades K-8 and is a Title I school that offers high academics, free, full-day kindergarten, art, music, PE, gifted education, and an After-School Academy.
鈥淭he ceremonial groundbreaking was a great way to celebrate a dream that will soon become a reality,鈥� says Arroyo School Principal Philip Liles.
Mike Horn is project director for the Education Services team at McCarthy.
鈥淲e鈥檙e honored to work with the Arroyo school community, which values education and being engaged in the renovation of their school campus,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e look forward to bringing big changes to the campus over the next school year while ensuring the students and staff do not have to endure any major construction-related disruptions.鈥�
BWS Architects is the architect on this project. Established in 1992, Pre-K through 12, higher education, and community projects with an educational emphasis, such as libraries and museums, have historically formed the largest percentage of BWS Architects鈥� work over the past 27 years.
鈥淲e greatly appreciate our partnership with McCarthy Building Companies and the Washington Elementary School District as we bring our collective vision to life and create long-lasting pride for the Arroyo school community,鈥澛爏ays BWS Design Principal Frank Slingerland.
鈥淲e believe in creating enriching learning environments where students and educators can discover and grow together.鈥�
Adds Principal Liles, 鈥淥ur students, staff and neighbors have been looking forward to our newly constructed school since the day our community passed the bond in November 2016. We鈥檙e excited for construction to begin, and we look forward to continuing the great learning that takes place every day at Arroyo in our new school in 2020!鈥�
The award-winning Washington Elementary School District is Arizona鈥檚 largest elementary district, comprised of 32 schools, serving more than 23,000 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The WESD encompasses 44-square-miles of north-central Phoenix and east Glendale.