Under Construction: $1.7 million expansion underway for Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy

photo The Girls Leadership Academy recently purchased a building from Tennessee Temple and is spending $1.7 million to renovate it and add 16 classrooms. The building will be completed by the third week of July.

Project: Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy expansion

Location: 1800 Bailey Ave.

Size: 4,200 to 4,400 square feet

Contractor: Raines Brothers Inc.

Cost for project: $1.7 million

Scope: The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy purchased this building from Tennessee Temple University in February and is now putting it through a major renovation to add 16 additional classrooms to the school. The new space will include a full-fledged art room, as well as both wet and dry laboratories.

Timeline: Work is underway now and is expected to be complete by late July, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy director Elaine Swafford said.

History: The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy was always planning to expand, Swafford said, but didn't expect to be able to so quickly. The new facility will help the school serve a new incoming class of 65 students.

Future: This renovation is part of the school's effort to improve both physically and academically. "We're in a turnaround model," Swafford said. "That means that we've come in and are making a lot of changes. We applied for a school improvement grant and we're looking to really move the school forward."

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