Skip to main content

New Walnut Hill Elementary School Construction

The New Walnut Hill Elementary School

An investment in the future of Petersburg City Public Schools

Key Focus Areas

Enrollment of 700 Students

PK-5 Facility

Modern, Technology Forward School

Walnut Hill Project Timeline to Date

Project Cost: $45 million ($15 million State Grant and $30 million City of Petersburg Literary Loan)

The Road Ahead

  • Walnut Hill Project Timeline to Date

  • Project Cost: $45 million ($15 million State Grant and $30 million City of Petersburg Literary Loan)

  • The Road Ahead

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The current project investment is $45 million. This reflects a strategic shift from the original $90 million K-8 scope to a focused, state-of-the-art K-5 facility. However, PCPS Operations proposes a $53 million budget based on the current market analysis for a PK-5 facility.

  • The funding is a collaborative effort: $15 million comes from a state grant (FY23 School Construction Assistance Program), and the City of Petersburg is covering the remaining $30 million through a literary loan.

  • On April 6, 2025, the school board approved an amendment to expand the scope to PK-5 by combining Westview Elementary School and Westview ECEC, involving 1150 students and an estimated $85 million in total construction costs. On March 4, 2026, the School Board approved the scope change for a PK-5 facility with a 700-student capacity at Walnut Hill Elementary School, which will also serve PK students from the Walnut Hill Elementary School District. Westview ECEC will stay at their current site and will have increased capacity to attract more students due to approximately 80-100 PK students attending Walnut Hill Elementary School.

  • The Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) of 2002 allows us to partner with private developers to design and build schools more efficiently. This promotes competition and innovation to get the best value for our taxpayers.

  • Yes. Following an unsolicited proposal from Gilbane Inc. on August 6, 2025, the school division opened a 45-day window for competing proposals. We received three distinct proposals by the September 22, 2025 deadline.

  • On October 1, 2025, the school division engaged McDonough Bolyard Peck (MBP) as a third-party consultant to support the procurement and evaluation process.

  • The New School Construction Advisory Committee, which includes community members, school board members, and leadership, met for the first time on October 30, 2025. This committee is chaired by Dr. Jovanim Martinez, Assistant Superintendent of Operations.

  • On May 20, 2026, the School Board approved the Interim Agreement (IA) with Gilbane Building Company and Moody Nolan. Now, the Advisory Committee will reconvene as the design phase begins and the school division works with the City of Petersburg to develop a transition plan for Walnut Hill Elementary School students and staff.