Richardson’s City Plan Commission has signed off on zoning changes that would let Richardson West Junior High be rebuilt as a larger middle school, clearing a key hurdle in Richardson ISD’s push to convert its remaining junior highs into middle schools. The district plans a phased rebuild that keeps students on campus during construction, with the existing two-story building slated for demolition once the new campus opens. District leaders say the project will expand classroom, fine arts, and athletic space to serve sixth through eighth graders.
On Tuesday, the commission voted to recommend the zoning modifications to the City Council, a procedural but important step toward breaking ground. As reported by Community Impact, commissioners heard presentations from district planners and architects and cast their votes after staff assurances and questions from nearby residents.
The rebuild is being funded through Richardson ISD’s Bond 2025, part of a $1.4 billion package voters approved in November 2025 to modernize schools across the district. The Dallas Morning News detailed the bond’s scope and the modest tax rate increase voters agreed to cover the work.
Project scope, cost and schedule
Richardson ISD’s project page lists the Richardson West rebuild at an estimated $119 million and shows construction slated to begin this summer, with substantial completion timed to match the district’s wider middle school rollout. According to Richardson ISD, the district plans phased construction that keeps the current building in use while the new campus goes up, with related site work and athletic upgrades stretching through 2028 and into early 2029.
Campus changes and capacity
The draft site plan calls for a 209,267 square foot campus that increases Richardson West’s capacity and shifts the main entrance from Mimosa Drive to Holly Drive to improve queuing and traffic circulation. Community Impact reported the district anticipates enrollment rising from roughly 709 to about 927 students as the campus converts to a middle school, with the phased approach allowing classes to continue on site until the new building is ready.
Neighbors at the hearing raised concerns about how the bigger campus footprint could hit the surrounding streets. Replacing open field with a large paved lot could create quality of life impacts, including bright lighting into homes, one resident said. District staff responded that the plan includes screening, landscaping and lighting limits intended to blunt neighborhood impacts.
Parking, stadium swap and neighborhood controls
Designers outlined a new circulation plan that features a satellite parking lot on an RISD owned vacant parcel on Holly Drive across from the school. The district also described a temporary shuffle that would see the Richardson West rebuild and the Richardson High School baseball facility swap locations on campus during construction.
Bond materials note the rebuild budget includes a new baseball facility, with the replacement stadium expected to be finished in early 2029. Planners said they will coordinate traffic signage and enforcement with the city for arrival and dismissal times, and district officials added that they are studying temporary practice and game options for Richardson High while on campus work is underway.
What happens next
The commission’s recommendation now heads to Richardson City Council for final consideration. The district expects design refinements and permit work to roll through the spring ahead of a planned June construction start. Community meetings and school board reviews are set to continue as officials lock in details for student safety, traffic circulation and temporary athletic arrangements during the build.
