new school set for the west side of albuquerque

The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education has signed off on the design for a new 27,000 square foot building that will replace the aging Mary Ann Binford Elementary School.

Located at 1400 Corriz Drive SW on the growing west side of the city, the current school was put up in 1985 and saw an addition for its kindergarten classes built in 2008.

But school officials at the 10.4-acre site have long complained that the one-story structure is outdated and not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.

In response, APS has announced plans to build a new nearly 27,000 square, two-story structure that will house classrooms for the K-5 school.

As currently planned, a second facility with additional classrooms, a cafeteria, gymnasium and office, is slated to go up on the site at a later date.

Designed by the Albuquerque-based PA Architects, the new school will have a construction budget set at $9.2 million. Of that figure, $190,000 will come from a bond passed by voters in 2010, with $2.3 million coming from a 2016 bond.

Besides the two new structures, the site will also see the construction of a new courtyard, drop off area, and looped driveway.

By Garry Boulard

---