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We Know $807 Million Is A Lot Of Money But


pineda

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If Kinky Friedman were Governor now this argument wouldn't even be taking place because some major corporation would be footing the bill for this whole set-up in exchange for getting their logo plastered all over the place. And they probably would have used their big-business clout to get it built a lot cheaper than $81 million. I say cast the millstones off the necks of the taxpayers and let the private sector handle school sports. It's worked for professional teams for decades.

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Having been inside the building and toured the grounds, I can say that from an architectural standpoint, they built this thing to last. Sparing no expense, this is a first class facility. The stonework, the masonry, tile, even the door handles and other architectural elements. An extremely nice facility. Surprised they were able to get it all done for $81 million in today's inflated construction market. It'd cost nearly $100 million if they bid it out today.

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I agree, it was not right to have students from the 3rd largest school district, not have a facility to graduate from in their own district.

...go to their website and i hope you won't be surpised that the concert schedule is the only thing mentioned.

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...go to their website and i hope you won't be surpised that the concert schedule is the only thing mentioned.

The funny thing about school bonds, is that most of the debate is AFTER its passed and when the bond items are being built. I was at a 2001 CFISD Bond meeting, and I saw the drawing of the Berry Center and stadium, and at that meeting not one person (that I remember) ever asked about it...the big concern was two high schools on the same bond.

Glad that people are interested this time around...my prediction is that it will pass. Most residents understand that school bonds are required to support the number of incoming students. But other especially those without kids, would rather they be bused across the district to find a place to sit.

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Those without kids need to realize that the district has 92,000 kids and it is growing. Of course, everyone has the right to vote the way they want.

I can understand the hoopla and controversy surrounding the Berry Center but it should not prevent bonds from being passed for actual instructional facilities whose desperate needs keep growing.

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Those without kids need to realize that the district has 92,000 kids and it is growing. Of course, everyone has the right to vote the way they want.

I can understand the hoopla and controversy surrounding the Berry Center but it should not prevent bonds from being passed for actual instructional facilities whose desperate needs keep growing.

The berry center's controversy is what stirred up people and is causing many to think twice. IF schools are needed, most taxpayers will support them. many believe that school districts shouldn't be in the mega-stadium biz.

of course, everyone can vote as they wish.

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The berry center's controversy is what stirred up people and is causing many to think twice. IF schools are needed, most taxpayers will support them. many believe that school districts shouldn't be in the mega-stadium biz. of course, everyone can vote as they wish.

I live in Copperfield Westcreek, and every day I drive past Holmsley Elementary School, where there now ten -- TEN -- temporary buildings sticking out in all directions on that small campus. Ten buildings with two classrooms per. That's 20 classrooms full of kids. All of the Holmsley main building doesn't have 20 classrooms, so these temporaries have more than doubled the classroom space at that school. It can be argued that Holmsley is operating at more than twice the capacity it was built for. I know that other Elem and Middle schools are in the same fix and are also using temporaries.

You can't deny the need for more school facilities, and I know CFISD is building new schools as fast it can. My complaint is the way the board uses the millions it's spending.

CyFair did need at least one more football stadium, but for god's sakes did it have to be an 81 million dollar monstrosity like the Berry Center? Doesn't someone on that board have any common sense?

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Again...it's not just a football stadium...

* It's also a graduation center, to save CFISD $130,000 in rental expenses and the parent $6 to park (although I believe it costs more than $130,000 to operate on a yearly basis)

* It's a stadium where a professional football team plays (though not very well)

* It's a concert hall where you can see top name bands perform (competes with other venues such as Toyota Center)

* It's a place where all the teachers can meet once or twice a year for a Dr. Anthony pep rally

* It's a $31 million high school football team with fancy press boxes and VIP rooms. This alone makes it an expensive football stadium.

It's multi-purpose like we were promised, but I'm not sure if it's really "for the kids" or not. If the idea is to have some type of facility that the community can use, then I don't think it should have been built by the school district. This should have been built by private enterprise and the school district needs to get out of the business of generating revenue so they can focus on education.

I would agree that we need additional schools. If inflation is a factor in causing high schools to cost almost $100 million, then maybe it's time to look at other ways to reduce the cost. It's not like the district is accumulating equity in current buildings that they can turn around and leverage in future ones (like a home owner would do) Every time we build a new school with a new feature (practice swimming pool, music hall) then we are put into the position of having to retrofit existing schools to make them comparable.

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[quote name='FilioScotia' date='Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 @ 11:15am' post='182459'

You can't deny the need for more school facilities, and I know CFISD is building new schools as fast it can. My complaint is the way the board uses the millions it's spending.

CyFair did need at least one more football stadium, but for god's sakes did it have to be an 81 million dollar monstrosity like the Berry Center? Doesn't someone on that board have any common sense?

Here's a chance to fix that: I believe that there are two board positions that can be voted on in November. Hopefully more people will vote since elections are being held in November. Last board elections were held in May last year, and I think only 400+ people voted.

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* It's also a graduation center, to save CFISD $130,000 in rental expenses and the parent $6 to park (although I believe it costs more than $130,000 to operate on a yearly basis)

* It's a stadium where a professional football team plays (though not very well)

* It's a concert hall where you can see top name bands perform (competes with other venues such as Toyota Center)

* It's a place where all the teachers can meet once or twice a year for a Dr. Anthony pep rally

* It's a $31 million high school football team with fancy press boxes and VIP rooms. This alone makes it an expensive football stadium.

Exactly how do all those uses and functions contribute to the quality of education in CyFair? The only thing on your list even remotely connected to education is its use as a graduation center. Seems to me at 130 thousand dollars a year, CFISD could continue renting other facilities for graduations for the next 30 years and still not spend as much as they spent to build the Barker-Cypress Obscenity.

I really don't know why I waste my time and blood pressure posting my protests over that place, when more than 95 percent of the people in the CyFair district clearly don't care about it one way or the other. It's no fun being a voice in the wilderness.

I was one of the few people who turned out to vote against it in that bond election, and I will continue voting against every bond issue the CFISD board puts on the ballot, and continue voting against every board incumbent every chance I get until they start getting their spending priorities straight.

Maybe, just maybe, one of these days, they'll get the message that multi-millon dollar sports palaces contribute absolutely nothing to educating children. But, I know from experience that will happen at about the same time airplane pilots start gettting warnings about flocks of "pigs".

Save your time mrfootball. You and people like you are a big part of the problem and I'm ignoring you.

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Any idea where the two new HS in this bond are proposed at? I know the district owns a large piece of land on FM 529 at Freeman Road (dont know where this is, thought that was the same road).

My Key Map shows FM 529 becomes Freeman Rd west of Fry Road. Another high school so close to the one on Fry doesn't seem likely.

I'm hearing that one of the new high schools will be built somewhere near Hwy 6 and West Little York. Don't know that's a certainty though.

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I'm hearing that one of the new high schools will be built somewhere near Hwy 6 and West Little York. Don't know that's a certainty though.

It would seem rather unlikely that they would build a new HS near Hwy 6 and W. Little York as that's very close to Cy-Falls (unless they plan on completely changing that feeder zone). I would think that wherever the new HS go, it'll likely be in the Western/NW part of the district where the bulk of the new growth is. I think it highly likely that one will go in Bridgeland, perhaps deeper inside the development. Perhaps another near 290 & Fairfield.

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It would seem rather unlikely that they would build a new HS near Hwy 6 and W. Little York as that's very close to Cy-Falls

That seems further than Cy Falls is from Cy Fair, and Cy Fair is from Cy Woods. It seems closer to Langham Creek to me.

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Exactly how do all those uses and functions contribute to the quality of education in CyFair? The only thing on your list even remotely connected to education is its use as a graduation center. Seems to me at 130 thousand dollars a year, CFISD could continue renting other facilities for graduations for the next 30 years and still not spend as much as they spent to build the Barker-Cypress Obscenity.

Exactly my point. :)

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I know that CFISD bought land on 529 west of Fry road...and I remember in the school board report it said for a multi-campus site. Of course I cannot find it again, at the moment.

This would be my guess. With all the development out 529, and with the planned Grand Parkway extended thru that area, I bet there will be another high school west of Cypress Springs.

CSHS will be at or nearing capacity, when 9 and 10 come online (ranch and lakes), and with all the open land slated for development out near Settlers Villiage...I imagine that will be choice.

Fairfield will be zoned to Cypress Ranch, which will be nearing capacity with Bridgeland, so I would guess, maybe out near Fairfield for the next one to relieve ranch. Since the area east of Barker Cypress is built out, those zones could be shifted with two more HS opening in the western portion???

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another thing is when newquest develops the land between Bauer and Fairfield.....that's another 1,000 or so homes and by the time that develops...the current schools will already be overcrowded...

eventually, it's going to push into Waller ISD

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Read an article in the Sun about NW Houston and the huge growth out here. It said the fastest growing area of Houston was the aread around Spring-Cypress bordered by 290 and I-45.

PS - Cy-Woods is located on Spring-Cypress (Fry/Cypress-Rosehill is the next intersection up).

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  • 9 months later...
Again...it's not just a football stadium...

This is a high school football stadium. http://kylgrafx.com/rebs/grandecomm.htm There is a baseball stadium next to it for the Midland RockHounds.

Big difference? Yes. The Berry Center has capability for additional instructional support roles. It is not just a benefit to the sports programs.

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This is a high school football stadium. http://kylgrafx.com/rebs/grandecomm.htm There is a baseball stadium next to it for the Midland RockHounds.

Big difference? Yes. The Berry Center has capability for additional instructional support roles. It is not just a benefit to the sports programs.

You do realize that the stadium you linked was not built with school district funds at all, don't you? That is a City of Midland sports complex that is also used by the schools. No education dollars spent.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Cypress Lakes and Cypress Ranch High Schools are each at about 95% complete with minor finishing touches being made before August.

Cypress Ranch High School-Aerial

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Cypress Ranch High School Pictures

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Cypress Lakes High School-Aerial

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Cypress Lakes High School Pictures

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11199794.jpg

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