NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News City Council agreed to move forward with the Huntington Middle School design project (Huntington campus) using $2.8 million in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
It will take 12-18 months to get the design done. Next, city leaders need to proceed with a request for the proposal and hiring a firm.
The decision came Tuesday during a Newport News City Council and Newport News Public Schools Joint Work Session.
Huntington is closed because of the building's declining conditions. The Superintendent's draft CIP includes $50 million to rebuild the school.
The School Board’s approved 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Plan includes $50 million in fiscal year 2020 to fund the cost of building a new Huntington Middle School.
The Newport News City Council approved $2.8 million in the city’s CIP to fund the cost of the design fees for the new middle school in 2019.
Vice Mayor Tina Vick said city council wanted to see how the entire corridor will look first before moving forward.
“I hope we can get a timeline so the citizens and us as council will know how to move forward,” Vick said. “I’ve been a big advocate for both city council and the school board to get together before the budget presentation in April so we can come up with a workable plan."
Last month, school board members approved an academic plan for the next school year, sending rising sixth-grade students zoned for Huntington to Heritage High School.
Sixth and seventh-grade Huntington students currently attending Crittenden and Hines middle schools are not affected.
The School Board will host a public hearing on the rezoning during its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at the Administration Building located at 12465 Warwick Boulevard in Newport News.
Parents, students and members of the community are encouraged to attend to share their input on the academic plan rezoning.