A transformation can happen in many ways.  For Brownwood, Texas, it was through the successful renovation of Brownwood High School. Academics were never disrupted; test scores improved and the overall community pride grew as the transformation of the high school continued over four years.
        Originally built in 1961, community residents had always referred to it as the “new high school.” After four years of complicated and extensive renovations to the facility, a completely transformed Brownwood High School opened in January 2009 and is now truly a “new high school” again.
        The renovation and transformation of Brownwood High School created not only a renewed sense of school pride, but an overall community pride from construction to completion. For the first time in the district’s history, the campus became “Recognized” by TEA for rising test scores and graduation rates.

        In today's struggling economy, we understand that better solutions are needed for age-old problems, like how to combine high-quality with affordability. That’s why, at Huckabee, we’re finding new ways to preserve the exceptional value of every project, without emptying District pockets.
        When the Sanger Independent School District presented us with the challenge of a wall system never before used in a Texas school, we jumped at the chance to take innovation to a new level. Huckabee sent Vice President, Gary Rademacher, and structural engineer, Kyle Burgy, to Alvaton, Kentucky, to study a school using an Insulated Concrete Form product. ICF is a reinforced concrete wall system, sandwiched between two sections of high-density Styrofoam forms. Gary and Kyle returned energized by the potential of the ICF wall system to offer flexibility and durability in construction as well as saving clients hundreds of thousands of dollars. "The ICF wall system takes us in a direction that is different from anything we've done before in our firm," said Gary, "and that's exciting!"

        Outside, an eye-catching, three story atrium is the building’s main entry point, with a façade composed of various textures and colors, including brick, block, and stone masonry. Inside, a welcoming reception desk provides controlled access, an immense central stairway accesses the second floor, and a protected stairwell leads to the third floor, separated to minimize freshmen interaction with upperclassmen. Core curriculum is the focus of the three-story portion of the building, while electives find their home on the single-story ends of the campus. A glass gallery space uses abundant daylight to connect the main entry, cafeteria, and fine arts lobby. On the third floor, a separate mini-commons provides a comfortable study space with a spectacular view of the surrounding country.
        The building is also technologically sound, with ceiling-mounted projectors in all the science labs, and structured cable plants in every classroom. Wireless access throughout the building allows for the portability of laptops, and the public address system is networked with other district communication systems and can be remotely accessed in times of emergencies or security lock-downs, all making for an efficient, effective design–the perfect environment for both learning and teaching.

        How can an outdated, World War I-era school, deteriorating from the inside out, be transformed into an innovative, state-of-the-art facility that still honors its historical significance? Waxahachie ISD answered that question by calling Huckabee.
        Waxahachie High School, built in 1917, was falling apart in 2006. But no one wanted to see this landmark torn down. Huckabee stepped up with a plan to save the building—and make it better than before.
        We started by researching the historical architecture of the building. We uncovered the last remaining original window, and peeked past layers of old paint to find the original color. The windows were matched using new, thermally broken, low-e, high-energy efficiency glass. The hardwood floors were restored to their original beauty. We refurbished the exposed ceilings, as well as replaced doors and lighting fixtures with historically accurate materials.