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Rising construction costs add $6.6 million to price for new Lexington middle school.

The projected costs of Lexington’s long awaited new middle school, set to open in 2023 on Polo Club Boulevard, have increased from $40.6 million to $47.2 million.

“Based on current trends in the construction industry, we are seeing an increase in construction costs,” a document in the agenda for Monday night’s school board planning meeting said.

The district is in the design development phase of the project and JRA Architects released renderings in the Monday meeting agenda.

The 140,479 square foot school is being built to serve 1,200 students.

The Fayette County Public Schools board in April 2020 voted to buy about 47 acres on Polo Club Boulevard for the new middle and a new elementary school. The project had been a priority for the district for years, but officials had problems finding land.

Ultimately, the land was purchased at a cost of $275,000 per acre. The land is located at 2185 and 2345 Polo Club Blvd. and was previously owned by Polo Club 1, LLC and Ausbrook Polo LLC ( the Madden family). The actual cost of the land was $14.24 million, but the sellers made a charitable gift of $1.34 million, bringing the price to the district to $12.9 million.

The newest middle school building in the district is currently Edythe J. Hayes Middle School, which opened in August 2004. Since then, major renovations were completed at at least four other middle schools.