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Park Street: Toll 183A to Vista Ridge Blvd.

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Friday, 19 September 2008

September’s corridor highlights projects the school district has in progress around Park Street.

With 33 campuses serving 200 square miles, Leander ISD is one of the fastest growing districts in Texas and the nation.

More than 28,000 students were enrolled in LISD schools at the beginning of September, and more than 2,000 of those students were new to the district. LISD added 156 teachers and four new campuses — one new high school and three elementary schools — this year. September’s corridor highlights additional projects the school district has in progress around Park Street to improve its services to the students and the community.

— Ronald Reagan Elementary broke ground in August and is the district’s 22nd elementary school. The 112,000 sq. ft. school will have the same basic floorplan as Westside Elementary, located in the Westside Preserve neighborhood, with some modifications. Parkland will be located on the west side of the property. Leander ISD projects 811 students will attend Reagan when it opens for the 2009-2010 school year.

— A new agricultural center is being built for Vista Ridge High School. The 16,500 sq. ft. building will be completed by the end of September. VRHS has been sharing Cedar Park High School’s agricultural center, and the new addition allows each LISD high school to have its own center. The building will include workshop rooms, storage areas and pens for the animals.

— The VRHS performing arts center is designed as a 400-seat auditorium. The center will take 13 to15 months to complete, and the district is currently waiting on approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Additional parking spaces will be added to the area. The center is funded by the 2006 bond package and is expected to open by spring 2010.

— Vista Ridge High School

Principal: Paul Johnson
Address: 200 S. Vista Ridge Blvd.
Opened: 2003
Number of students: 1,952

— Henry Middle School

Principal: David Ellis
Address: 100 N. Vista Ridge Blvd.
Opened: 2002
Number of students: 1,220

— The school board is discussing the details of the regional stadium planned for this site. Part of the bleachers are planned to be incorporated into the hillside on the property. The school board is still discussing the number of seats for the stadium, which will be more than 9,000, but not more than A.C. Bible’s 10,000.

The regional stadium is funded through the 2007 bond package. The bond package wording requires the stadium be completed by 2011. However, due to rising construction costs, the school board is considering a 2010 opening date. No decision has been made on the completion timeline. Decisions regarding the timing of construction, seating and final design will be made in the next six months.

Other stadium news:

A.C. Bible Jr. – Memorial Stadium will be completely rebuilt following the final game of the 2008 season or after playoffs as needed. In November, crews will begin dismantling the stadium. The rebuilt stadium will have 10,000 seats, which will be ready for the 2009 football season. The stadium will keep its name, which memorializes the servicemen who have died protecting our country.
A third district stadium is planned for high school number five, Vandegrift High School. The stadium will be built with 5,000 seats with the ability to expand up to 7,000 seats. The stadium is expected to open for the 2009 football season.

— Buffington Signature Homes is building 35 homesites in Forest Oaks. Construction began in April and is expected to last two years. Prices range from $260,000s-$360,000s. Buffington Signature Homes is a privately held company based in Austin and maintains a focus in Austin and the surrounding areas.

— Creekview is a new D.R. Horton neighborhood that began construction in January. Construction is expected to last for at least three years. Prices range from the $180,000s-$200,000s in this 240-home community. The pool and amenity center are still under construction and will be ready for summer 2009.

— Silverado Ranch is a KB Home neighborhood. With 50 different floorplans available, prices range from the $160,000s-$300,000s. Construction on the 500 homesites began in March 2005. Completion is expected by the end of next year. Amenities include a community center, pool and parks.

— Currently known as Arterial A, the new road will connect Park Street and Brushy Creek Road. The school district conducted a traffic study in order to minimize the traffic impact on the surrounding community. The road has been designed, but not yet named. The district anticipates construction to be completed when Ronald Reagan Elementary opens next year.

— Tentatively named Vista Ridge Park Center, this 6.5-acre site will include a mix of retail and office space. Current plans call for division of the land into four lots, with approximately 41,500 sq. ft. of retail space and 18,000 sq. ft. of office space. Design and engineering of the project will take six to eight months. Construction will begin in phases when each project phase is 30-40 percent leased. Contact Pohl, Brown & Associates at 694-9400 for more information.