McNiel Elementary School Renovation in Wichita Falls, TX

Wichita Falls Independent School District is converting the existing McNiel Middle School building at 4712 Barnett Road into a new elementary school serving Pre-K through fifth grade. The project, filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) as the McNiel Elementary School Renovation, covers 31,611 square feet of interior space. The scope includes multiple levels of renovation work alongside cosmetic updates such as new flooring, painting, and ceiling tiles.

The estimated cost for this renovation and alteration work is $9,425,000. This figure places the project in the top quarter of estimated costs for similar renovation filings in Wichita County, where the median estimated cost is $250,000. The project also exceeds the county median size of 4,207 square feet and the median cost per square foot of $74, with this project averaging $298 per square foot. The scheduled construction window of 282 days is longer than the county median of 121 days for comparable projects.

Design and Construction Details

BYSP Architects is the design firm of record for the project. The registered accessibility specialist is Sharlynn L Keys. The project involves public funds and public land. TDLR completed plan review in September 2025. Construction was scheduled to begin in October 2025 and finish in July 2026. Although the scheduled completion date has passed, TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection. Therefore, the current state of the site is not confirmed in the public record.

BYSP Architects has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $29,146,740. These include the MSU Bridwell Activities Center in Wichita Falls, where inspection is complete, and the 2800 Building NCTC in Gainesville, which is in review complete status. The surrounding area, ZIP code 76310, has a population of about 19,362 and a median household income of $83,610 according to U.S. Census American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates.

Wichita County unemployment was 4.6 percent in July 2026, higher than a year earlier. The project is registered in Wichita County, where 67 renovation or alteration projects were registered in the last 24 months. The conversion of McNiel Middle School into an elementary school represents a significant infrastructure investment for the Wichita Falls I.S.D. The specific scope of work focuses on adapting the existing structure to meet the needs of a new 800-student Pre-K to fifth grade facility.