Texas’s Top Projects - 29

Veterans Memorial High School

PROJECT COST: $59,162,000

This 358,000-sq-ft high school is the sixth high school for the Brownsville School District. Located on 78 acres just north of the Rio Grande River, its 10 buildings include classrooms, science laboratories, a performing arts center, practice and competition gymnasiums, food service facilities for 1,200 students at one time and administrative areas. Outdoor facilities include tennis courts and baseball fields. All buildings are served by a central plant utilizing three, 500-ton chillers.

The school’s courtyard features a smooth flowing brick paver design with pergolas for shaded covered areas and benches for seating. This courtyard allows for lunchtime gathering areas for students and evening gathering areas before or after performances within the auditorium.

Bringing power and water to a site where no municipal infrastructure is in place has challenged the project team, requiring coordination with the owner and local officials to supply the site during construction.

Key Facts

Location: Brownsville, Texas
Start/completion dates: May 2008/ April 2010
Owner: Brownsville Independent School District, Brownsville, Texas
General contractor: D. Wilson Construction Co., McAllen, Texas
Architect: Gomez Mendez Saenz Inc., Brownsville
Structural engineer: Green, Rubiano & Associates LP, Harlingen, Texas
Civil engineer: Mejia & Rose Inc., Brownsville
MEP engineer: ACR Engineering Inc., Harlingen
Major subcontractors: Metro Electric Inc., Brownsville; Faires Plumbing Co. Inc., Edinburg, Texas; Texair Co. Inc. McAllen