NEDERLAND, Texas — Earlier this year, Nederland ISD opened up its brand new high school for staff and students.
Now it's out with the old, as Nederland ISD began demolition on parts of the former high school last Monday.
In March of 2019, voters passed a $155M which called for the demolition of parts the old high school under Proposition A.
Due to construction of the new high school running behind schedule, demolition plans were initially delayed.
12News spoke with Nederland ISD Superintendent, Dr. Stuart Kieschnik, back in May. He broke down what issues the district was facing.
"We started this bond this year (2019), and I've said it before, along came COVID. After that you had, the price escalations, the supply change shortages. I found out real quick that all those were real, and we had to adjust and overcome. It's what we do in Nederland," said Kieschnik.
These delays resulted in several teachers being displaced at the beginning of the school year. However, abatement and interior work began once everyone moved into their new classrooms.
Last Monday, the highly anticipated demolition finally began in full force.
Construction crews were hard at work removing chunks of ruble that had been torn away from the east end of the half-century old building.
Over 79 thousand square feet of the building will be gone by the time the job is finished according to Construction Superintendent for H.B. Neild, Ken Shelton.
Back in August Dr. Kieschnik gave some insight on what part of the school will remain standing.
"We're going to keep the dome gym, and we'll still have some square foot to use for space as needed," said Dr. Kieschnik.
Nostalgic former bulldogs will still be able to take a walk down memory lane with the performing arts center, choir room, competition gym, cafeteria, and 'DogHouse' all being left standing.
However, some will take on new purposes. For instance, Dr. Kieschnik tells 12News that the cafeteria will be transformed into a new weight room for athletics.
As for the parts of the school that will be demolished, Nederland ISD plans on using some of that space for a new practice field for the band.