LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) Board of Directors is scheduled to approve a $58.4 million contract Thursday to build the new RISE STEM Academy for Girls, a major investment in the district’s educational infrastructure. The project, set to begin in September 2024, will produce a state-of-the-art facility at 2160 Versailles Road, with completion scheduled for July 2026.
DW Wilburn, Inc., a Lexington-based construction company, secured the contract after submitting the only qualified bid. The other two bids, from Marrillia Construction and Calhoun Construction, were disqualified and not opened because they did not meet the county’s Minority, Women, and Veterans Efforts (MWVBE) requirements under the Good Faith Efforts program.
The total cost of the project, including construction and utilities, is $58,460,689.35. The school is designed to accommodate 900 students in an 11,000-square-foot building and will provide specialized education with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The project was not without controversy. The land for the new academy was purchased by Dudley Webb, a well-known real estate investor, for $10.1 million. This transaction was criticized at the time because the land value was estimated at only $2.8 million by the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA). Critics raised concerns about the significant discrepancy between the purchase price and the tax assessment and questioned the financial responsibility of the deal.
According to FCPS, the new academy, which is listed as a top priority in FCPS’ 2021 District Facility Plan, represents a major step forward in providing targeted educational opportunities for girls in the district and is consistent with broader efforts to improve student achievement and organizational efficiency.