Construction crews broke ground on a $74 million second phase of the Malibu Middle and High School campus, a project that will give middle schoolers their own dedicated academic building and a dedicated gymnasium. The new 40,000-square-foot addition is expected to wrap up in late 2028, delivering two distinct buildings built around academics, wellness and athletics for the campus's youngest students.
A Campus Built Around Wellness
The contractor behind the work, C.W. Driver Companies, has served California since 1919 and marked its 100-year anniversary in 2019, according to Construction Owners. The firm, which operates offices in Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga, Anaheim, San Diego and Carlsbad and ranks among Engineering News-Record's top 150 general contractors, is working alongside design partners LPA Architecture, Massetti Consulting and Element Consulting on the project. Dave Amundson, project executive at C.W. Driver Companies, said student wellness is a key driver of strong academic outcomes, per the same outlet's report.
The middle school core will house special education and counseling spaces, a wellness center, a media lab, food-service areas and shaded outdoor spaces designed to serve the education and wellness needs of students. Carey Upton, chief operations officer for Santa Monica-Malibu USD, said middle school students can thrive inside and outside the classroom, and added that the campus should reflect the distinct needs of all students. Middle schoolers will also get their own gymnasium, complete with a fitness studio, a multi-sport court supporting basketball, volleyball, soccer and badminton, and an ocean-view deck.
Sustainable Design Meets Coastal Setting
Phase II incorporates photovoltaic panels expected to offset 50% of the buildings' energy use, along with ceiling fans and operable windows designed to reduce the impact of wind and sun. The concrete mix draws on natural materials from the Santa Monica Mountains, a sustainability approach that echoes work done during the campus's first phase. That earlier $102 million effort, completed in August 2025, delivered a 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility for 600 students and used 30 custom concrete walls sourced the same way to help the building meet Net Zero standards and California Title 24 energy rules, according to Spaces4Learning.
The campus is meant to connect students with Malibu's coastal and hillside surroundings while increasing access to high-quality education and fitness facilities for students living in remote areas, part of what the district describes as a mission to create an immersive education environment. The City of Malibu's Specific Plan for the site outlines the broader campus project, according to the City of Malibu. Beyond the middle school building and gymnasium, the broader Phase 2 scope includes a shared aquatics complex with a new 40-meter pool, locker rooms, team rooms and track and field storage, built adjacent to the existing pool to limit downtime for swim programs, per C.W. Driver.
Two Bond Measures, One Long Rebuild
The project's funding includes voter-approved bond funding. In 2024, Malibu voters approved Measure MM, authorizing $395 million in general obligation bonds for capital repairs, modernizations and facility construction across Malibu's public schools, as reported by Ballotpedia.
The City of Malibu formally approved the CEQA Environmental Impact Report Notice of Determination for Phase 2, Phase 3a and Phase 4a campus improvements on January 20, 2026, clearing the environmental compliance hurdle ahead of this groundbreaking. Construction is moving forward at the Morning View Drive site.
A Campus Caught Between Two Districts
Separately, the district is undergoing a bigger political shift. In December 2025, the Malibu City Council and the SMMUSD Board of Education unanimously approved a historic separation package establishing financial and operational agreements to split SMMUSD into two independent school districts, according to the City of Malibu. SMMUSD is currently the district serving Malibu and Santa Monica.
The independent Malibu Unified School District is expected to launch no earlier than the 2028-2029 school year, pending mandatory authorization from the California Legislature and state education authorities, according to Best Best & Krieger LLP. That timeline is separate from the Phase II construction schedule.
