GISD Freeman Elementary Replacement in Garland, TX

Garland Independent School District is replacing Freeman Elementary School at 1220 W. Walnut Street in Garland, Texas. The filing identifies the project as the GISD Freeman Elementary Replacement, a new construction effort estimated at $53,000,000. The building is designed to be 111,109 square feet, resulting in a computed cost of $477 per square foot. This scale places the project in the top quarter of estimated costs for new construction filings in Dallas County, where the median is $950,000.

LPA Design Studios serves as the design firm of record for this project. The scope includes the new elementary school building and associated site work. Ross A Thomas is the registered accessibility specialist listed in the TDLR records. The project involves public funds and public land, reflecting its status as a public school facility.

Construction Timeline and Status

TDLR completed plan review in December 2024, the same month the project was registered. Construction was scheduled to begin in February 2025, with a completion date on the filing set for June 2026. That scheduled date has passed. However, TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection, so the current state of the site is not confirmed in the public record. The TDLR status remains Review Complete, indicating that the permitting phase is finished but the final occupancy verification is pending in the public data.

The scheduled build window for this project is 485 days, which is longer than the county median of 243 days for similar new construction filings. This extended timeline is typical for large-scale educational facilities that require significant site preparation and structural work. The project is one of six other TDLR-registered projects for Garland Independent School District, totaling over $152 million in estimated costs across various campuses in Garland.

Freeman Elementary has a long history in the district, having opened in 1949 as one of the first elementary schools in Garland I.S.D. According to Garland ISD, the replacement project is designed with a clear focus on creating a learning environment that supports students, staff, and the community. The new facility will serve the local student population in the 75202 ZIP code, an area with a median household income of $101,500 and a median owner-occupied home value of $325,100, according to U.S. Census estimates.