Pathway Academy in Big Spring, TX

Pathway Academy is renovating a 30,000 sq ft existing building at 501 N Birdwell Lane in Big Spring, Howard County. The project, filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) in October 2025, involves the renovation of the structure for use as a Charter School. Evolving Futures is listed as the owner of record for this privately funded development on private land.

The estimated cost of the renovation is $2,000,000, which works out to $67 per square foot. This cost per square foot is below the county median of $103 for similar renovation and alteration filings in Howard County. However, the total project cost is above the county median of $450,000, placing it in the top quarter of estimated costs for this type of work in the region.

Construction was scheduled to begin in November 2025, following the completion of TDLR plan review in December 2025. The filing indicated a completion date of May 2026. The scheduled build window for this project is 207 days, which is close to the county median of 182 days for comparable projects. Stephen D Macphie is the registered accessibility specialist associated with the filing.

Current Status and Verification
TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection for this project. Therefore, the current physical state of the site is not confirmed in the public record. While the scheduled completion date has passed, the absence of a final inspection means the project’s completion is not officially verified by the state agency. Readers should not assume the facility is open or operational based solely on the timeline in the filing.

This classification suggests a lower risk of flooding compared to higher-risk zones, but standard construction precautions for water management are still relevant. The project is situated in ZIP code 79720, where the U.S. Census Bureau reports a median household income of $71,194 and a median owner-occupied home value of $146,500.

Howard County’s unemployment rate was 5 percent in July 2026, higher than a year earlier. This economic context may be relevant for local labor availability during construction. The project represents a significant investment in educational infrastructure within the community, with a scope focused on adapting the existing building to meet the needs of a charter school environment.