The West Ada School District has approved two major construction projects aimed at addressing overcrowding and expanding career-focused education opportunities, even as overall enrollment trends fluctuate.
During a recent board meeting, trustees unanimously authorized the district to move forward with design, bidding and development for a full rebuild of Lake Hazel Elementary in Boise, along with the conversion of a vacant warehouse into a new career and technical education (CTE) facility.
District officials said the projects are targeted responses to localized growth pressures in certain areas, despite broader enrollment declines across the district.
The rebuild of Lake Hazel Elementary is intended to alleviate overcrowding on the district’s south side, following similar efforts in other growth areas. A newly constructed Independence Elementary is scheduled to open this fall in Star, Idaho.
To streamline the process, the district plans to reuse the design from Independence Elementary for the Lake Hazel project, a move expected to reduce costs and accelerate construction timelines.
“Our goal — and it’s an aggressive goal — is to get to work on this tomorrow and press towards a fall of ’27 opening,” said Dave Reinhart, director of education services.
Trustee Rene Ozuna acknowledged the ambitious timeline while expressing support for the project.
“I can’t even imagine us really building a school in a year, but that’s super exciting,” Ozuna said.
District officials noted that contractors will be selected with the accelerated timeline in mind, while contingency plans will remain in place. Trustee David Binetti pointed to the district’s recent experience as a key advantage.
“Boy, that’s just a win, win, win,” Binetti said, referring to the reuse of existing design plans.
In addition to the elementary school project, the district will move forward with converting a 70,000-square-foot warehouse into a new CTE campus. The property was acquired last year for $12.8 million and is expected to support a range of hands-on training programs.
The facility will include a powersports lab, construction lab, approximately 60 welding bays and classroom space for programs such as auto mechanics, residential construction and early childhood education.
Initial construction estimates for the conversion reached $16.5 million, but district officials said value engineering efforts reduced the base cost to $12.8 million. Optional additions could increase the total to $13.8 million depending on final design decisions.
Board Chair Lori Frasure highlighted the long-term benefits of the project for students and the broader community.
“I think it’s beyond exciting,” Frasure said.
The district plans to finalize pricing and contracts later this year, with construction expected to begin shortly thereafter. The CTE facility is projected to open in fall 2027.
Both projects will be funded without raising local taxes, drawing on resources from a statewide school modernization fund established through House Bill 521, along with the district’s internal financial planning.
Officials say the investments reflect a strategic effort to modernize facilities while aligning educational offerings with workforce needs.
Originally reported by Sean Dolan in Idaho Ed News.
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