The Buena Vista (Colo.) district held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to celebrate the opening of a new middle and high school.

The Ark Valley Voice reports that the $50.8 million Buena Vista Middle and High School totals 128,072 square feet—99,195 square feet new and 28,877 square feet renovated.

The project encompassed construction of a two-story high school and middle school academic wing, a flex-commons area, a new administration space, a new tech/art/music/consumer studies area, and a media entry/connector area.new

A  middle school gym and Nnew driveway and parking areas were added, and the existing high school gym was renovated.

The project was able to move ahead after voters approved a $29.5 million bond proposal. That enabled the district to secure a $21.3 million BEST Grant (Building Excellent Schools Today) through the Colorado Department of Education’s Division of Public School Construction Assistance.

In addition to giving the grades 9 through 12 students a new place to learn, the space creates a new center point for the community — a gathering place for sports, theatre, and music. 

The architect is TreanorHL, and the builder is Haselden/Diesslin.