PHOENIX, AZ ― Balsz School District with McCarthy Building Companies and DLR Group announce the beginning of construction on Balsz School District’s Pat Tillman Middle School, a middle school bearing the name of one of Arizona’s and the nation’s most notable American heroes, who left a successful professional football career with the Arizona Cardinals to serve his country following 9/11.

The middle school will include construction of a nearly 70,000-square-foot building with 42 new classrooms, administrative offices, STEM learning flex space and two new laboratories to support student-centered learning for the students of the Balsz School District. In addition, a new sports tunnel will be constructed, connecting the sports fields to the school. Site work will include the build out of both sports and community fields with perimeter security that allows for safe and secure student and community access. The building also incorporates energy efficiency upgrades that will allow for the school to be more operationally efficient over time.

Originally built and opened as Balsz Elementary School in 1964, the Tillman family granted Balsz School District permission to use the Tillman name in February 2018. The school is located a few blocks from Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium, where Tillman first made headlines on the football field.

Located in Phoenix, Tillman Middle School offers a traditional academic curriculum with elective, after-school and sports offerings. The school will remain open for the 2019-20 school year, while construction is underway, and continue to serve the current student population of approximately 720 students in grades 6-8.

Construction will complete in time for the 2020 school year. Final construction completion, which includes all site work and miscellaneous upgrades to existing structures, is slated for October 2020. DLR Group is providing integrated architecture and engineering services. McCarthy Building Companies is the general contractor and providing construction management services.

“It’s been a privilege to work with the Tillman school community on this major renovation of their school campus, which will enhance the educational and STEM learning experience for current and future students,” said Mike Horn, Project Director for the Education Services team at McCarthy. “We look forward to bringing these highly-anticipated and significant changes to the campus over the next year and are particularly honored to be part of acknowledging Pat Tillman for his service to our country and his athletic achievements as the namesake of the school.”

“We are honored to provide a new home for Tillman Middle School,” said Pam Loeffelman, FAIA, DLR Group. “The entire team of educators, administrators, architects, engineers, contractors, students and the community at large worked collaboratively to co-design a school that enables teachers and students to aspire to the Tillman spirit and embraces the community where it resides.”