KIlgore ISD HS Career Tech Center

The Kilgore ISD High School Career Tech Center at 711 N. Longview Street in Kilgore, Texas, has completed construction and passed its final TDLR accessibility inspection in October 2026. This new 13,900 sq ft facility was built to provide dedicated classroom and shop space for the district's students. The project, registered with TDLR in August 2024, represents a significant investment in educational infrastructure within Gregg County.

Constructed as a pre-engineered metal building, the structure was designed by Claycomb Associates Architects. The estimated cost of $3,500,000 reflects a comprehensive build-out that includes specialized instructional areas. The project utilized public funds and public land, aligning with state requirements for accessibility compliance. The scheduled build window spanned 456 days, from September 2024 to the final inspection, a duration longer than the median 213-day window for similar new construction projects in the county.

Project Scope and Cost Context

The $252 per sq ft cost is above the county median of $160 per sq ft for new construction filings in Gregg County. This higher cost per square foot is typical for educational facilities that require specialized mechanical systems and safety features for vocational training. The total estimated cost of $3,500,000 places this project in the top quarter of new construction filings in the county, which has a median cost of $800,000. The size of 13,900 sq ft is also larger than the median 6,550 sq ft for new projects in the area.

Claycomb Associates Architects has been involved in several other major educational projects in the region, including the Athens High School and Athens Early Childhood Center. Their work on this Kilgore facility follows a pattern of delivering large-scale, accessible educational environments. The registered accessibility specialist for this project was Melisa R Chapman, ensuring the design met all required standards before construction began.

The completion of this project adds to the local construction activity in Kilgore, where other recent filings include renovations by Walmart and Five Below. The Kilgore Independent School District has one other TDLR-registered project in the records, also located in Kilgore. The final inspection in October 2026 confirms that the building is structurally complete and compliant with accessibility codes, ready for its intended educational use.