The first pour of concrete occurred at the new Arthur A. Richards PreK-8 School site, marking a groundbreaking milestone in its construction, the V.I. Education Department announced in a press release Wednesday.
“We witnessed the groundbreaking of this site on Feb. 23 of this year. Today represents a significant stage of progress as the first concrete pour is underway. The construction of a new school in the District of St. Croix is a monumental event for the territory, as it has been decades since we have witnessed such a development,” said Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington.
Wells-Hedrington further stated, “Our students deserve new schools; it is time, and I am immensely thankful for the efforts of all partners who worked tirelessly to get us to this point.”
Key partners in this project, both on a federal and local level, include the New Schools Construction Advisory Board, MCN Build, the DLR Group, Witt O’Brien’s, the Office of Disaster Recovery, FEMA, VITEMA, VIHFA, the Public Works Department, and Education staff, including architect Chaneel Callwood-Daniels, according to the press release.
The previous Arthur A. Richards Jr. High School was severely damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, leading to its demolition. The new Arthur A. Richards PreK-8 School is a substantial $163 million project that will provide state-of-the-art learning spaces spanning 145,000 square feet. The school will be relocated to the former site of the Evelyn M. Williams Elementary School, the press release stated.
Wells-Hedrington highlighted that this project goes beyond reconstruction and sets a higher standard for learning and instructional environments. “The Virgin Islands Department of Education aims to transform the lives of its students, recognizing that appropriate facilities play a crucial role in their development as our future leaders. This new school for the District of St. Croix will pave the way for 21st-century learning spaces in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” she said.
Providing essential support on this project is the design-build contractor MCN Build. The design-build team was awarded the contract to construct the proposed new Arthur A. Richards PreK-8 School. The proposed design consists of eight buildings in three phases:
- Phase 1: Utility building, gym (also serving as a shelter), PreK building, and the commons building.
- Phase 2: K-5 building A, K-5 building B, and the Administrative building.
- Phase 3: The final phase encompasses the construction of the 6-8 middle school building, hardscape, landscape, and a multi-purpose field.
Additionally, the project will include an underground cistern with a 250,000-gallon capacity on the northeast of the site, along with retaining walls on the west and northwest sides of the property. The next significant stage of work will involve the installation of the foundation for the utility building, the release stated.
For more information about the Arthur A. Richards PreK-8 School and the Department of Education’s plans to build new schools in the Virgin Islands, visit www.newschoolsvide.com.
