CHANDLER, Ariz. (Oct. 9, 2024) — Chandler Unified School District’s Galveston Elementary School celebrated the grand opening of Phase I of its campus reimagination project, which was designed by Orcutt | Winslow and built by McCarthy Building Companies. Originally constructed in 1963, the campus’ first phase of the $35 million reimagination recently opened its doors to welcome students, teachers, and faculty to their new facility.
Phase I, which began construction in September 2023, features a 53,000 square-foot, two-story classroom building; a 7,000 square-foot administration building; and a 21,000 square-foot multipurpose gymnasium facility.
“Galveston Elementary is a very special community,” said Frank Narducci, Superintendent of Chandler Unified School District. “Generations of families have attended this great school which has been a staple in Chandler for decades. A rebuild of this caliber which is future focused while maintaining the school’s legacy means many more generations will have the opportunity to experience Galveston’s unwavering tradition of excellence.”
The two-story classroom facility houses pre-K through 3rd grade with grades 4-6 on the second level. Both levels contain large, open concept hallways equipped with partial walls, flexible seating, and television monitors throughout. The campus’s primary gateway is the new administration building, marked with a prominent Galveston Elementary School sign atop. This facility houses a secure reception area, faculty offices, and an extensive nurse’s office for students.
“The new Galveston Elementary School is designed to be a bridge that connects the vibrant history, traditions, and strong community focus of the Galveston neighborhood, to a future and elevates that rich community focus into a service-learning academy model,” said Saravana Bala, partner at Orcutt | Winslow. “The school features innovative learning environments that support multi-dimensional learning opportunities that enable programs and curricula that are geared to help fulfil the CUSD Portrait of the Learner.”
Throughout construction, students, faculty, and staff members were provided with quarterly tours throughout the project to witness their new campus vision coming to life. The project team provided numerous educational touchpoints, leveraging the project as a STEM learning experience.
“Regular engagement with Galveston students provided incredible opportunities for these curious young minds to witness their new school coming to life during construction,” said Andrea Ramos, project director for McCarthy. “This reimagination brings flexibility and adaptable learning across the campus while preserving its legacy and balancing a keen emphasis on safety with the school’s most important stakeholders — the students —throughout every phase of the project.”
The campus’s new multipurpose building serves as a cafeteria, gymnasium, and performing arts center, equipped with an indoor stage that opens to the outdoor amphitheater. Other prominent campus features include:
• 31 classrooms with fold-up glass wall door systems, providing access to various 85” interactive TVs mounted throughout the hallways. These TVs sit on adjustable mounts to adapt to the varying height needs of each grade level.
• Multiple “literacy rooms” in lieu of a central library for each grade level complete with grade appropriate books to encourage collaboration among classes.
• Floor-to-ceiling divider within the multipurpose building that can be opened or closed to allow for simultaneous lunch periods and physical education classes. The building also contains large rollup glass doors to allow for indoor and outdoor dining.
• Separate public entrance to the multipurpose building for school community events and performances.
• Security upgrades, including card reader access controls on all doors and ‘forced entry’ resistant glass on all entrances.
Phase II begins this month with the demolition of the 60-year-old original building and the construction of new athletic fields and a playground. The new sports fields will include a soccer/flag football field, a baseball field, and two outdoor basketball courts. The entire project is slated to be completed in February 2025.
Located at 661 E. Galveston St. in Chandler, Arizona, this 11-acre campus serves more than 400 students from preschool through 6th grade, now equipped with grade-appropriate flexible learning spaces and outdoor collaboration areas. With a new capacity of 750 students, the campus unites Galveston’s rich history with state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to transform with the needs of the curriculum. This project came out of the 2019 CUSD bond.
About Chandler Unified School District
Chandler Unified School District is located in the Southeastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Chandler Unified School District serves more than 43,000 students in grades K-12 and encompasses 80 square miles including parts of the towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek, though not all of the City of Chandler. Reading, language and mathematics are at the core of students' education. Chandler Unified School District has specific expectations for students in these three basic areas. Academic achievement is a high priority in the district as evidenced by test scores above the state and national averages. Our students consistently score among the top in the state on college-entrance exams. Because of the outstanding educational programs offered, almost all of the district schools have been cited for excellence by outside organizations, including the Arizona Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. Due to a booming city population and open enrollment laws, Chandler Unified is one of the fastest-growing districts in the state. The district has opened 30 schools since 1998 and now consists of 32 elementary, nine middle school programs, six high schools and four alternative schools.
About McCarthy Building Companies
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with nearly 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that spans all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 19th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2023). With approximately 6,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis; Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Austin, Channelview, Dallas, and Houston, Texas; and San Diego, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100% employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Orcutt | Winslow
Orcutt | Winslow is a renowned, award-winning design firm with it headquartered located in Phoenix. Our strategic presence extends across key regions, with office hubs strategically positioned in Nashville, Dallas/Fort Worth, Jeffersonville/Louisville, Shreveport, and Orlando. With a diverse and talented team working with 85+ AZ school districts, we are committed to delivering innovative design solutions that transform spaces and enrich communities. Find out more at www.owp.com.
Media Contacts:
Stephanie Ingersoll, ingersoll.stephanie@cusd80.com, 480-812-7010 for CUSD
Patty Johnson, pattyjohnson@connections-marcom.com, 602-402-2965 for McCarthy Building Companies
