Project: Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy expansion
Location: 1800 Bailey Ave.
Size: 4,200 to 4,400 square feet
Contractor: Raines Brothers Inc.
Cost for project: $1.7 million
Scope: The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy purchased this building from Tennessee Temple University in February and is now putting it through a major renovation to add 16 additional classrooms to the school. The new space will include a full-fledged art room, as well as both wet and dry laboratories.
Timeline: Work is underway now and is expected to be complete by late July, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy director Elaine Swafford said.
History: The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy was always planning to expand, Swafford said, but didn't expect to be able to so quickly. The new facility will help the school serve a new incoming class of 65 students.
Future: This renovation is part of the school's effort to improve both physically and academically. "We're in a turnaround model," Swafford said. "That means that we've come in and are making a lot of changes. We applied for a school improvement grant and we're looking to really move the school forward."