HUNTERSVILLE — Christ the King High School is in the final design phases of a 17,000-square-foot, $12 million expansion project set to break ground later this year.
“It’s going to be bigger and better, and we can’t wait!” Principal Mark Tolcher said.
Sketches show the remodel will expand the school’s footprint from the current 65,000 square feet to 82,000. The additional space is essential to support projected student enrollment numbers and accommodate growing programs.
Completion of the project is estimated to take 12-18 months. Hopes are to open the new wing in the fall of 2026.
The school, which launched in 2011, is now home to 435 students, but the expansion will increase capacity to 600. Projections indicate increased registration in upcoming years.
The building extension will add a new entry point to the gym and a north lobby equipped with concession stands, ticketing booths and a Crusaders Spirit Store for the school’s athletics, band, musical and theatrical events.
Other perks include an expanded weight training area, a chorus and band studio, two additional classrooms and an industrial design workspace.
“The industrial design area is where the design concepts of students can be brought to life through woodshop and glasswork activities,” said the school’s president, Dr. Carl Semmler.
Tolcher says despite various scheduling approaches, the existing 170-seat lunchroom stays at maximum occupancy.
The remodel combats this by adding a 250-seat cafeteria and 50 seats in an outside eatery.
The new wing will connect to the back side of the gym.
“Only one row of parking spaces will be lost. However, about 40 percent of the upper lot will temporarily be used as a construction staging area,” Semmler explains.
Plans include reconfiguring several classrooms, educational spaces and the existing cafeteria into five additional classrooms, five more office spaces and a larger student health center.
Little Diversified Architectural Consulting Firm, the civil engineers used for all of the school’s past construction projects, is architect. Barringer Construction will oversee construction. Both are local businesses.
— Lisa Geraci