Large addition planned for Justice High School
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| Justice High School |
A large addition is in the planning stages for Justice High School in Seven Corners.
The addition will be about 47,000 square feet and will be at the rear of the school, where the kiss-and-ride area is now says architect Godson Nwosu with the Fairfax County Public Schools facilities department. There will be lots of windows and lots of glass.
It will house chemistry, biology, and fabrication and design technology labs; the Work Awareness and Transition program for students with disabilities; and about a dozen classrooms. It will also allow for an expanded cafeteria.
The addition will be three stories, “because the site is very challenging” and the space available to build is so tight, Nwosu says. The existing building will not be affected, unless it needs some minor adjustments to meet safety regulations.
Related story: Renovation of Falls Church High School to start in 2021
When the project is completed, Justice will have a capacity for 2,500 students. The school currently serves about 2,300 students but enrollment is expected to grow.
“We’re very optimistic that what we’re doing is going to change student lifestyles,” Nwosu says. This project “will improve equity and bring Justice up to par with other schools.”
Construction is expected to start in late fall of 2021 and should take about 18 to 20 months. The project should be completed by late spring or early summer of 2023, he says.
Meanwhile, the renovation plans for Falls Church High School “are progressing well,” Nwosu says. FCPS hopes to file for a building permit next summer. Construction should start in fall 2021.
Because the work can only be done in the summer when school is not in session, the Falls Church renovation won’t be completed until 2025.