By Eric Althoff
UPPER MARLBORO, Md.鈥擲uitland High School, which opened in 1951, is being given a new campus. Tuner-Corenic Construction is working with Cox Graae + Spack Architects on a 344,000-square-foot educational building that will encompass a high school as well as the school鈥檚 Center for Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. When completed, the new Suitland school will have an enrollment of over 2,500.
The $335-million project is proceeding in three phases, commencing now and estimated to go through 2026. During the buildout, Suitland鈥檚 CTE programs will be located to nearby Crossland High School.
As part of the project, Turner-Corenic and Cox Graae + Spark are ensuring community involvement in the form of scholarships, student mentoring and internships, and outreach to the school鈥檚 alumni community. Furthermore, the general contractor is working to ensure minority-owned businesses are given a stake in the school project.
In a recent statement released by the district, PGCPS CEO Dr. Monica Goldson said that Suitland鈥檚 alumni of the CVPA have gone on to performing arts careers themselves, and thus it was crucial to give their arts program a modern home.
鈥淚t is time that Suitland has a school building that can keep up with the breadth of our students鈥� dreams,鈥� Goldson said.
Prince George鈥檚 County Public Schools is the second-largest school district in the state鈥攁nd also has some of the oldest school buildings in Maryland.聽 Accordingly, PGCPS is constructing 10 new schools and modernizing many of its older facilities as well.