Weeks after construction crews started clearing land for a new Cleveland ISD administration building, the District finally had an opportunity on Thursday, Nov. 10, to celebrate with a ceremonial groundbreaking attended by city, school district, chamber of commerce and county leaders. The new 55,000-square foot building is the last project in a $198 million bond that was passed by Cleveland ISD voters in 2019.
“We thank the voters very much who approved the 2019 bond,” said Cleveland ISD Superintendent Stephen McCanless. “This new administration building and staff development complex has more than 7,000 square feet dedicated to training space for teachers and staff. They will no longer have to use cafeterias, libraries or small spaces on campuses for their training.”
The building also will house the District’s human resource (HR) department, business office, curriculum and special programs staff, and administration. The foyer of the building will be dedicated to the history of Cleveland ISD.
Construction of the new administration building, located on Houston Street next to Tractor Supply and across from Cleveland Middle School, is being performed by ICI Construction, Inc., of Spring, Texas. The design for the new building was created by the architects at Huckabee Inc. of Houston.
The $198 bond that funded construction of the new administration building also provided for improvements and renovations to Northside Elementary, improvements to the existing baseball and softball fields at Cleveland High School, two new elementary campuses and one new middle school.
Once the new administration building is complete, set for some time in December 2023, weather permitting, the old administration building at 316 E. Dallas St. will be repurposed.
“The District is considering three options for that building including using the space for Southside Elementary classrooms. A second option is using it for the District’s special education department and a third option is to move our technology department there. The one most favored by the District is the additional space for Southside Elementary,” McCanless said in an earlier article for Bluebonnet News.
Photos by Cleveland ISD
