Wood Framing Delivers Impactful Design + Big Savings for New High School

El Dorado High School – El Dorado, AR

When the new high school in El Dorado, Arkansas opened its doors in August 2011, students, parents and community members had just one word to say. “Wow.” 

The 322,500-square-foot, $44 million building made a big statement in the relatively small community of El Dorado, located in southern Arkansas. El Dorado has a population of about 20,000, and high school students had been attending a 1960s-era 165,000-square-foot high school with outdated buildings connected by a maze of exterior corridors. Parents and community members wanted more for their young people. In the end, the school met their goal for a “wow” factor design that would lead to higher student retention rates—and the design team saved $2.7 million by switching from the original design to wood framing.