Burnet Middle School on track for head-to-toe modernization project

A major glow-up is on the horizon for Burnet Middle School, with plans for a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility poised to break ground this summer.

The Historic Landmark Commission got a rundown on the $158 million project last week when a permit to demolish the school’s existing digs in North Central Austin made its way to their agenda. Securing unanimous approval, the sleek new replacement remains on track to welcome students for the 2027-2028 school year.

The location presently known as Burnet Middle School is a modest cluster of brick structures, with outdoor courtyards flanked by single-story hallways in keeping with its neighborhood surroundings. Built in the late 1950s by architect J. Roy White, its classrooms are designed to be cozy and approachable, framed by large windows illuminating rustic interiors with plentiful natural light.

Unfortunately, these former charms have become a logistical headache for Austin ISD, which says that the school’s antiquated infrastructure has demanded a level of maintenance that is increasingly untenable, all for a building that fails to keep pace with district growth.

Originally built without air conditioning, the school has struggled with its retrofitted HVAC system, experiencing difficulties with heating and cooling exacerbated by aging single-paned windows. Its relaxed layout also means exposed entryways and obscured areas of campus that have become a major problem in an era of tightened security measures. These shortcomings are just a few from the full list cited by the campus’s Educational Suitability Summary Report.

“It’s a pretty difficult situation.  … There’s a ton of roofing deficiencies, exterior mechanical and electric deficiencies, site interior and MEP deficiencies,” Dave Anderson, Drenner Group’s land use director, said on behalf of the district. “We need to get kids into a new school that serves them better.”

Now, AISD is moving forward with a head-to-toe makeover, courtesy of a 2022 bond package that landed billions in funding for modernization projects across the school district. The new four-story building will add an additional 88,000 square feet of space, including bespoke facilities for mental health and wellness, alternative learning styles and the school’s presently cramped programs for fine arts and career and technical education. 

The extra space will also help to weather upticks in enrollment, allowing the campus to accommodate anywhere from 1,100 to 1,300 students. As of the 2022-2023 school year, enrollment sat just shy of 800.

The new construction will sit atop what is currently an outdoor athletic field at the northern end of campus, allowing students to attend school without disruption while the project is underway. Once completed, the old building will be demolished, clearing the way for brand-new athletic and outdoor learning facilities in its place.

Anderson says architects are making an honest effort to incorporate nods to the school’s historic form into their plans. So far, ideas include reusing original brick, replicating the campus’s network of metal-covered walkways, reusing the building’s main entrance as an outdoor shade structure and relocating original mascot decor to the new gym facility.

Burnet Middle School is just one of 25 modernization projects coming down the pipeline for AISD schools. Readers can learn more about what’s to come at the district’s website.

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Posted In: Preservation, District 7