Podcast studio, music and dance rooms touted in early tour of new Richmond high school

Members of the media got a sneak peek Friday inside the construction work for the new Richmond High School for the Arts.

The $140 million, 282,000-square-foot project began in 2023 and is set to open for students and staff by late 2026.

“As our kids walk into the building this week, they know full well that they will be the recipients of this new building. And for that, we are extremely grateful and appreciative,” said the school’s principal, Kevin Olds.

Superintendent Jason Kamras said the division aims to make the school “the premier arts high school in Central Virginia,” attracting Richmond students to classes that will include music, dance, podcasting and video production.

School board members, including Vice Chair Matthew Percival (1st District), Katie Ricard (2nd District) and Stephanie Rizzi (5th District), whose district the school is in, were present. 

“This is just a dream moment right now,” she said. 

While enrollment last year was less than 1,200, according to the State Department of Education, the new building is set to accommodate about 2,000 students, as seen in the layout for the new building’s cafeteria, gym and a 14,000-square foot auditorium. Division officials said that RPS expects to see RHSA’s enrollment grow in years to come.

Kamras said the original building, built in 1960, will be demolished and replaced by new athletic fields and facilities. Division spokesperson Alyssa Schwenk said the old building has been in need of replacements since the early 2000s.

Replacement got caught up in a years-long feud between the city and school board over how big the school should be and who should oversee its construction. 

At the event, Kamras reminded attendees that the majority of Richmond school buildings are 86 years old on average, and called on the state to invest into the division’s infrastructure.

For RHSA staff, the tour was a sign that progress is around the corner. Sherri Robinson has been administrative assistant for the school’s principal for more than 20 years. She said she has to “hold back the joyful tears” when she remembers that students will be in the new building very soon. 

“To see that opportunity for our students to be in an atmosphere where they can flourish even more … it’s just joy for me.” 

The division’s new chief operating officer, Patrick Herrel, was also introduced at the tour. 

Contact Reporter Victoria A. Ifatusin at vifatusin@richmonder.org