City, school district work out deal to bring new school, park improvements to Hurst

Work will start this fall on a new campus to replace Bellaire Elementary School in south Hurst, an area of the city targeted for new development.

The city and the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district recently formed a partnership involving land donations to move the project forward.

Superintendent Joe Harrington said in a letter to the community that $47 million school will be paid for with money saved from the 2018 bond program and the district’s capital improvement budget. Taxpayers won’t see any additional cost, Harrington said.

City manager Clay Caruthers said work will start in October, and construction should be finished in December 2023.

The HEB school district is working with Huckabee Architects on the new campus.

Students attending Bellaire, at 501 Bellaire Drive, will stay in the current building until the new school opens.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a strong working relationship with our community partners like HEB ISD,” Caruthers said.

Under the agreement between the city and school district, the district will donate land next to Hurst Community Park and the city will donate land to expand Bellaire Elementary.

The new school will include plenty of parking for parents and staff and a playground for the community.

In turn, Hurst will have more development opportunities with the park improvements and expansion, Caruthers said.

“I’m glad the city was able to assist, and I look forward to the completion of another successful redevelopment project in Hurst.”