School board officials expect to spend approximately $99 millionto complete the entire project. According to minutes from theclosed meeting during which board members voted in favor ofawarding the contract to Hess, six firms had received pre-approvalto bid on the project, and Hess was one of two that submitted finalbids.

Located at 1300 N. Quincy St., Washington-Lee occupies a nearly20-acre site just a couple of blocks from Interstate 66 inArlington's Ballston submarket. The new high school will feature afour-story classroom building, a gym, an 800-seat theater, anindoor community swimming pool and two new athletic fields.

The project is being designed by Grimm and Parker Architects andwill be an environmentally friendly development that adheres toLEED Silver Certification green building standards. Hess willconstruct the new high school in two phases, thereby allowing theschool to remain in operation during construction activity. Thefirst phase, which will include the construction of the academicbuilding, is scheduled to wrap up no later than early 2008, withthe entire project on target to reach completion 2009.