(Danville) — Danville’s newest elementary school is going to be a lot bigger than originally planned.
City Council Tuesday adopted an updated Comprehensive Agreement with Branch Builds—the company that is building Arnett Hills Elementary School to replace G.L.H. Johnson.
The new agreement calls for a 23,600 square foot addition to what’s already being built. The extra room will allow the school to house 900 students instead of only 580.
Meantime, the city is stepping up efforts to spruce up the area around the new school. They’ve put out bids for a project that includes excavation and grading work to build a sidewalk along both sides of Arnett between the intersection with Third Avenue and Wendell Scott Drive, north to Guilford Street, near the new school. That covers about 1,900 feet.
The work will also replace curb and gutter and concrete driveway entrances. And it includes a new four-foot wide bike lane in both directions on that portion of Arnett.
New pedestrian push-button beacons and crosswalks will be put in at the intersections with Ingram Street and Guilford Street.
Also, there will be an “Advance Warning Sign” next to Wendell Scott Drive. That has been a frequent scene for accidents.
The work should be finished by the middle of 2025.