First Look at Site for Future High School in Lawrenceville

In March, Gwinnett County School Board approved construction for a new high school in Lawrenceville.

The high school will be located at 1335 Old Norcross Rd, right next to Benefield Elementary School. A red sign in front of the building reads “Bridgestone Center,” the name given to it by its’ previous life as a storage facility for Bridgestone Tires.  However, the name will most likely change before classes start in 2015.

“We will obviously make modifications for the facility to serve as a school,” said Jorge Quintana of Gwinnett County Public Schools. “This is something we've done before at Radloff Middle, Phoenix High, and most recently Lanier High.”

The new high school will relieve the overcrowded campuses of Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville and Lilburn's Berkmar High School. At full capacity, it is expected to hold 1800 students.

Gwinnett’s newest high school will provide more than just basic biology and calculus classes. “In addition to the traditional high school program, we do intend to have some additional programs at this location,” said Quintana. “For example, we are looking at the possibilities that this site might include a performing arts and/or entrepreneurial program.”

According to Quintana, the site is currently being used for bus driver training. That will be relocated when the school opens.

A new elementary school in Lawrenceville was also approved for the Berkmar/Central Gwinnett Cluster. It will be located at the intersection of Cruse Road and Oakland Road. Capacity for the new school is 1050 students.

Also given the OK, a new middle school in the Central Gwinnett Cluster. The school will hold 1075 students.

All three Lawrenceville schools are scheduled to open in August 2015.

The last new school built in Lawrenceville was Moore Middle School, which opened its doors in 2011.