VALDOSTA — Lowndes High School construction can finally move forward. Design plans have been selected. 

Mac McCall of McCall Companies Construction presented the third and newest renderings of LHS to the Lowndes County Board of Education Monday evening. The new design fixes issues the board had with the last plans.

The plan includes taking down the school’s main building halfway at a time and moving half of the building into the front parking lot. The plan eliminates the need for temporary classrooms, which had been included in earlier designs.

“This plan we’re looking at saves us about $3 million on temporary classrooms,” said Brian Browning, District 3 board member.

The new plan adds 650 seats to a little more than 1,000 in the new performing arts building, a request from the board at the last meeting. A balcony will be added to the new performing arts building.

McCall said designers styled the new LHS performing arts building after a theater school in Columbus.

Even though some of the front parking lot are part of the new plans, McCall’s renderings ensure the campus will gain 17 parking spaces after construction is done.

“We would like to vote on it tonight so we can get plans together,” said Dave Clark, board chairman.

Though there was some hesitation and a lengthy conversation before voting, the board approved the plans during the Tuesday meeting.

Construction and demolition should begin this summer. The project will cost about $59 million, though there is a 10 percent contingency plan built into the LHS construction. 

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.