PHOENIX, AZ — Creighton Elementary School District (Creighton) recently broke ground on its comprehensive campus replacement project for Biltmore Preparatory Academy (BPA), which will provide entirely new infrastructure to accommodate increased student populations and modernized, collaborative learning. Designed by SPS+ Architects and being constructed by McCarthy Building Companies Inc. (McCarthy), the project aims to celebrate the unique biliterate learning culture and history of the Biltmore Prep community through a redefined campus design.
As Creighton’s first-ever active campus rebuild, the project will ensure students can remain engaged in learning without disruptions due to construction. Biltmore Prep’s reimagined campus will bring to life a new administration and cafeteria building, along with a two-story elementary classroom building with modernized K-5 classrooms. With its dual immersion teaching model, where students transition from English to Spanish learning throughout the week, every space has been designed with color and texture tied to the language of instruction. Students will associate the physical learning environment with the learning content.
The two-story middle school building will house all sixth through eighth grade classes, featuring a media and learning center, hands-on STEM labs, a maker space, and dedicated rooms for music and the arts. Another feature is the "learning stair," which is a large amphitheater-style staircase designed to provide flexible reading spaces, group work, and collaboration for students.
Each building will feature distinct collaboration spaces, equipped with flexible seating to encourage students to engage in bilingual conversations and create opportunities for inspiration and creativity within these multicultural areas.
Tying it all together, the campus will make use of its existing multipurpose gymnasium (built in 2019) as a central hub for play and gathering throughout construction. All four buildings will frame a central courtyard anchored by a larger outdoor learning stair as a key architectural feature, cascading from the second story of the elementary building into the courtyard. This feature will provide opportunities for outdoor classes, student performances, assemblies, and parent-teacher events.
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"The Creighton District started the project with a lofty goal: to go beyond the surface and embody biliteracy at a deeper level, in materials, spatial relations, and site planning,” said Morgan Ellis, K-12 Director at SPS+ Architects. “As an architect, these are the projects we dream of."
Community members can expect the project to embrace opportunities to engage with students and staff in both Spanish and English, as all communication and signage surrounding the project will be conducted in both languages.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to officially break ground and bring this campus rebuild to life,” McCarthy Project Director Paul Kubik said. “McCarthy has had the honor of walking these halls, supporting this campus, and being a part of this community for years, and we are excited about this next chapter for BPA. Every time we take on a campus rebuild, we have the privilege of becoming ingrained into the school’s culture, and that runs especially deep here. The dual immersion culture is one of the core features of Biltmore Prep, and we’re beyond excited to celebrate and honor that identity through every space we build.”
Throughout construction, the project team has planned opportunities to engage students in the construction process. Through student tours, artistic expression opportunities, and hands-on activities and demonstrations to support STEM learning, students will get to help shape the future of Biltmore Prep as construction progresses.
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With the project scheduled to complete around November 2027, the newly reimagined Biltmore Prep will celebrate the long-standing culture of the community while expanding the school’s capacity from nearly 500 students and 60 staff to roughly 750 students and 75 staff.
