Hobbs (N.M.) district OKs plans to construct a fourth middle school

The Hobbs (N.M.) district is moving forward with plans to construct its fourth middle school. 

The new school will accommodate the district's growing enrollment and reduce crowding at other middle schools, reports The Hobbs News-Sun. 

The plan calls for building a fourth middle school as well as replacing the 70-year-old Heizer Middle School in Hobbs. 

Building the new middle school will cost about $65 million; the Heizer replacement is expected to cost about $61 million. 

The district's enrollment peaked in 2019 at about 10,664 students; about 2,558 were in middle school. Enrollment declined during the pandemic, but projections indicate the district could approach or even exceed its 2019 enrollment peak--anywhere from 10,345 to 10,875 by 2027-28.

Preliminary work on a new middle school could begin as early as January. Work on the Heizer replacement project could start by January 2024.

Following that possible timeline, the new middle school would open in summer 2026, and the new Heizer would open in summer 2027. 

Greer-Stafford Architecture is the architect.