Falls Church (Va.) district moves forward with replacement of high school

Plans call for a new George Mason High School to open in 2021.

The Falls Church (Va.) district is moving forward with plans to build an $108 million campus to replace the aging George Mason High School.

The district says the new George Mason High will be a five-story, 211,000-square-foot facility that will accommodate 1,200 to 1,500 students.

Voters approved a $120 million bond referendum in 2017 to pay for construction of the replacement school.

The existing George Mason is more than 60 years old and includes many systems that are at or past end of life, and enrollment is beyond capacity, the district says

Plans call for 100,000 square feet of new classrooms, a new gym, cafeteria, media center, areas for STEAM education, a 600-seat auditorium, an outdoor courtyard with instructional space, and a multi-use field.

Classes will be held in the existing George Mason until construction, set to begin in 2019, is finished. The new school is scheduled to open in 2021.

At that point, the old George Mason will be demolished to make way for commercial development. 

The design-build team for George Mason High is Gilbane, Stantec, and Quinn Evans Architects.

About the Author

Mike Kennedy

Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.

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