Work on new Bel Air Middle School to begin in Spring 2017

The Ysleta Independent School District continues to make inroads on the massive bond voters approved in 2014.

The Ysleta I.S.D. board of trustees approved the construction of Bel Air Middle School during its meeting Wednesday evening.

Work on the $30 million project will start in the spring of 2017. It is the largest project the district is currently drafting.

Y.I.S.D. officials said they hope to accelerate work on other projects to avoid entering into a bidding competition for construction contracts with the El Paso Independent School District as it works to complete projects approved by voters in its record-breaking $668.7 million bond. District residents approved the bond in November.

“Adding the El Paso Independent School District’s bond to the mix and having to compete with them for not just the design work, but for the construction work, can get very expensive,” Y.I.S.D. Superintendent Dr. Xavier de la Torre told ABC-7.

ABC-7 also learned during Wednesday’s meeting that the reconstruction of Eastwood High School is on track to begin in the summer of next year. The reconstruction is the bond’s single largest project with a pricetag of $93 million.

There is approximately $181 million remaining in the bond.