A new swimming facility, finishing work at the softball complex, and expanded parking are changing the athletic side of Longview High School. Together, the projects address both the spaces students compete in and the access families need when they visit campus.
"School pride grows where students can compete, and families can come together," said Superintendent Dr. Marla Sheppard.
Longview Independent School District's new Natatorium, an indoor swimming facility, is planned at approximately 35,000 square feet and will replace the current aquatic center. The August Board presentation showed pool and foundation construction progressing at the site.
The July 31 financial worksheet presented in August lists a construction budget of about $35.7 million for the Natatorium. The separate project scope report carries a tentative substantial-completion target of October through December 2027. That construction target is not an announced opening date.
At the Lady Lobo Softball Complex, the field and supporting buildings have been undergoing various stages of development. The Aug. 24 update identified remaining interior finishes, sidewalks, perimeter fencing, landscaping, and final building inspections. A finished playing surface does not mean the entire complex is ready for unrestricted use.
The district's August responses to trustees acknowledged that the remaining softball work was behind schedule. Project leaders were working toward practice access while the supporting spaces and safe access routes were completed.
Parking is another significant part of the campus work. The August report identifies 326 additional spaces in the high school's north parking expansion and more than 300 associated with the pool and softball area. Those plans total more than 600 additional spaces across the two areas.
The spaces are being delivered in phases. Families should use the district's event-specific parking directions rather than assume every planned space is already available.
Construction can make a familiar campus feel unfamiliar. Longview ISD appreciates families' patience as crews complete the paths, parking, and support spaces that will connect these facilities to everyday school and event use.
