Outfitted in bright yellow construction vests and hard hats, smiling students in San Diego’s Logan Heights community witnessed history Thursday: a milestone in the construction of an educational complex that will one day house the community’s first high school.
“The real heroes of this project, coming together, are the parents and the community members of Logan Heights. Their voice and their conviction made an impact or making this dream come true for all of our children,” said Nicola Labas, the newly appointed director of the Logan-Memorial Educational Complex at a ceremony at the construction site. “Union and unity, will bring us strength, together.”
The Logan-Memorial Educational Complex on Logan Avenue will be a so-called “cradle-to-career” campus that serves students in grades TK to 12, according to the San Diego Unified School District.
The existing campuses of Logan K-8 and Memorial Prep are being renovated and rebuilt into this new Educational Complex. The school district said the project includes the construction of a new elementary school for kids in grades TK to 5, and a 6th grade academy on the existing Logan K-8 campus.
A 7th to 12th grade campus will be created at Memorial Preparatory as well, by repurposing three existing buildings adjacent to Logan Avenue. This area will also include a theater and cafeteria, among other features.
The project includes new administration buildings, multi-purpose rooms, classrooms, a gymnasium for the 12th grade area, and amenities like an athletic field, a running track, play areas and more.
On Thursday, construction contractor Balfour Beatty hoisted the final steel beam for the TK-8 portion of the Educational Complex. Students signed the beam before it was raised, truly signaling their mark on the project.
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A lot of cheering was involved.
Labas and other SDUSD leaders spoke about the campus and what it’ll mean for the community.
“Our vision is to provide more resources to the community than what they have today,” Labas explained. “How we do that will be my focus over the next year.”
This project is founded by the school district’s Propositions S and Z, local bond measures approved by San Diego voters to repair, renovate and revitalize neighborhood schools.
The SDUSD said Thursday’s topping-out ceremony marked the milestone for the TK-8 buildings; construction for the 9th grade to 12 grade facilities is projected to start in the fall of 2020.
The entire project is expected to be finished by winter 2021.
To read more details about the Logan-Memorial Educational Complex project, click here.
