On March 31, 2022 the new Eastside Early College High School at the L.C. Anderson Campus as well the new International High School held the grand opening celebration. We’ve designed the campus to honor the past, excel in the present and provide pathways to the future.
The original L.C. Anderson High School had an 82-year history of serving the Black community in East Austin with excellence in academics, fine arts, college and career preparation, and athletics. It was closed in 1971 as part of desegregation, and with its closing, this community hub was fractured and the campus sat vacant for decades. The original L.C. Anderson alumni wanted their campus to return as a school and community focal point that elevates East Austin.
The modernized campus combines elements of the reconstructed L.C. Anderson High School with modern designs. Significant elements of the original building were reconstructed during the modernization. The original front of the school, band hall, choir room, cafeteria and original classroom wing have kept design elements from the 1950s
This blending of the past and present creates a new campus that is focused on early college and allied health career programs. The campus also features state-of-the-art technology and flexible learning spaces as well as a large multi-use outdoor courtyard.
This four-story building offers students a view of the surrounding neighborhood, adjacent to Austin Community College Eastview campus and the Austin skyline. An outdoor wellness walk provides a physical connection to ACC to support early college programs. With multiple buildings for a collegiate-style experience, the school emphasizes preparing students for college and careers.
We worked closely with L.C. Anderson Alumni, the Carver Museum and the Austin History Center to capture and visualize the school’s history through graphics displayed inside the campus. As an international school, it provides specialized education for a multicultural student body, many of whom are new to the country and learning English as a second language.
The modernized school is expected to receive LEED Silver certification and was designed to increase daylight while reducing heat gain, reduce overall energy use, and provide the campus with sensory gardens and native plants. The success of this project was made possible by the contributions of women- and minority-owned contractors.
Special thanks to the Austin ISD Board of Trustees, teachers and team members, the Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee and the Community Bond Oversight Committee, as well as the L.C. Anderson HS Alumni, the George Washington Carver Museum, Austin History Center, Eastside ECHS and International HS Campus Architectural Team, whose dedication and time throughout the planning and design process have made this school a reality.
CAMPUS ARCHITECTURAL TEAM
- Andrew Bailey, Eastside ECHS Principal
- Leticia Vega, International HS Principal
- Luis Becerra III, Austin ISD Staff
- Meghan Buchanan, Austin ISD Staff
- Martina Cliffton, Community Member
- Yessica Diaz, Community Member
- Sanford Jeames, Austin ISD Staff
- Pamela McCullough, L.C Anderson Alumna
- Eric Ramos, Austin ISD Staff
- Emily Sawyer, Austin ISD Parent
- Barbara Spears Corbett, L.C Anderson Alumna
- Vincent Tovar, Austin ISD Parent
- Ofelia Zapata, Austin ISD Trustee
PROGRAM MANAGER
- AECOM