Remodeled building will have many uses at THS
Remodeling continues on the former construction technology building at Texas High School, which will house TigerVision and provide a space for the dance line and cheer teams to practice.
The $645,500 project, which began in the spring, converts the building, now called Tiger Studio, into a space that can be used by many groups.
Brad Bailey, Texarkana Independent School District’s chief operating officer, said the building is expected to be complete by November.
“We’re going to move into it in January,” he said.
The building was stripped down to the concrete flooring and steel beams. Outside brick work is complete and crews are now working to finish the roof. The concrete foundation is the same and has been patched in uneven areas in preparation for new flooring.
“Everybody’s excited,” he said of the building’s construction. “This is going to be beneficial for our students, much needed for our drill team. They have no dressing rooms now or a facility to work out. They have to use the cafeteria or the gym or outside and it’s always a competition. There’s no place for them to keep their clothing and changing rooms and all that.”
The north side of the building will also house TigerVision and includes space for a studio and equipment and a bay where the TigerVision truck can be driven inside.
Bailey said the main space will also be used for a variety of needs.
“It will also be used for a multipurpose facility for events, including community events and as testing rooms,” he said. “When we have testing in the spring, this will be a great area for testing so we don’t have to take students out of the classrooms and disrupt instruction. I just think it’s going to be a great building that can be used for a variety of different needs.”
Funding for the remodel comes from $5 million made available through a maintenance tax note trustees approved in February for improvements district-wide. Those funds were also used for $2.6 million in turf and track improvements and a kitchen remodel project at Theron Jones Early Literacy Center. The tax note does not increase TISD’s tax rate of $1.425.