First preview of high school extracurricular, core space expansions released

Please be aware that all preliminary renderings seen in this article are subject to change as the district continues to finalize details with architects and construction managers. To view the full presentation provided to the school board, click here.

To best meet the needs of their 6A student populations, Byron Nelson and Eaton high schools will soon undergo expansions to extracurricular areas and cafeterias. These updates include home stadiums, which have been designed to focus on providing a positive community atmosphere for events.

At their October 7 board meeting, Northwest ISD trustees previewed the first preliminary renderings of these upgrades, which were approved by voters in the 2023 bond referendum. The upgrades will ensure heavily used common spaces meet each school’s 3,200-student capacity. Northwest High School, the district’s remaining comprehensive high school, is already undergoing upgrades as approved by voters in both the 2021 and 2023 bond packages. The district’s upcoming fourth comprehensive high school is being designed to meet the same standards.

Timelines for projects at both schools are still being finalized, though Northwest ISD expects to complete every component of the projects no later than early 2027.

Home Stadiums

During the planning process for the 2023 bond election, the district’s Long-Range Planning Committee analyzed long-term needs as Northwest ISD prepares for eight or more high schools. The committee, which is composed primarily of community members, discussed whether to add more district stadiums for football or replace existing sub-varsity fields at high school campuses with home stadiums.

When discussing the best option for students, the committee unanimously agreed that home stadiums would reduce time away from the classroom to travel to district stadiums and provide a strong foundation for community atmosphere. Voters approved this recommendation at the polls, and since then, district and school leaders have met with architects and construction managers to plan for these new stadiums as well as other common space expansions.

The stadium at each school will remain in the same general location as the school’s existing sub-varsity field, with some alterations. Both schools will also receive parking additions for increased crowds, though overflow parking is planned for the elementary school and middle school located near each high school. Each stadium will seat 7,500 total spectators, with 4,500 seats on the home side and 3,000 seats on the visitor side. Full press boxes, concession areas and similar features are planned for both stadiums.

Bobcat Stadium

Bobcat Stadium, the upgraded home facility for Byron Nelson, has been designed to make the best use of space available on campus while retaining and expanding parking. The stadium features a front entry facing the school, with a design that integrates into existing campus components such as the field house.

To conserve space and retain practice fields, architect Glenn Partners designed the home side of the stadium to be built above the existing fire lane, with ample room for emergency vehicles to traverse below. VIP parking next to the stadium and golf cart parking are also planned to best meet the needs of the community.

The stadium will serve a variety of sports and activities, including wrestling. Notably, Byron Nelson’s wrestling team will have a practice room in the stadium, as the current undersized wrestling room cannot be expanded without significant structural cost. Additionally, the school’s track will be upgraded from a seven-lane track to a competition-standard eight-lane track to host meets.

Eagle Stadium

For Eagle Stadium, the upgraded home facility of Eaton, architect Perkins & Will created a unique design with a ring around the stadium reminiscent of a collegiate venue. Additional parking is being added northeast of the stadium, as well as across the street, next to Adams Middle School.

The home side of the stadium features a double-deck style, with a plaza designed to accentuate the entry. The location of the stadium will shift slightly south to extend the access road to Eagle Drive for improved traffic flow. As with Bobcat Stadium, the brick design of Eagle Stadium’s façade and ring integrates into the school’s overall design.

The north end of the stadium will feature a field house for athletes as well as coaches’ offices. In addition to the stadium, a new facility for baseball and softball will be added featuring concessions, restrooms and storage.

Common Space Expansions 

While both Byron Nelson and Eaton have received classroom expansions in recent years to accommodate a 6A capacity of 3,200 students, several common areas were not addressed at the same time. Voter approval of the bond package will expand these areas – auditoriums, cafeterias and competition gyms – to accommodate each school’s population.

Auditoriums

Each high school auditorium will be expanded with additional seats to allow for more guests for fine arts performances. The expansion of each differs because of architectural differences. At Byron Nelson, balcony seating will be added, while Eaton will expand seating over the existing lobby, with a new lobby being created as the facility will extend slightly further into the existing outdoor courtyard. The upgrades will add at least 400 seats at each venue.

Cafeterias

As school classroom space was added to meet 6A capacities, cafeterias have not accommodated the full student body as well as needed. Each high school will expand its cafeteria by about 3,000 square feet to make room for more students during lunch. Byron Nelson’s cafeteria will be expanded toward the existing area for bus parking, while Eaton’s cafeteria will be expanded toward the interior courtyard.

Competition Gyms

The competition gym at both schools will be expanded to feature a “horseshoe” shape, with a new area of seating to complement the existing home and visitor seating areas. Both new seating areas will be added in the area where the existing entry and concessions area are located, while these areas will be replaced with new construction. Byron Nelson’s arena will extend the entry of the facility to the front of the school, while Eaton’s arena will extend the entry toward the outdoor courtyard. Both entry foyers will feature updated designs to accentuate school spirit.