Laurel Hill County Park, New Jersey – On May 17, 2016, the Laurel Hill County Park community celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of the construction of the brand-new High Tech High School. Nearly ten years in the making, RSC Architects worked closely with the Hudson County Schools of Technology and the Hudson County Improvement Authority—as well as staff and teachers—to make this new school a reality.

This innovative school, located on a twenty-acre parcel adjacent to the Laurel Hill County Park within Secaucus, will combine the existing North Bergen and Jersey City Campuses into one 350,000 s.f. facility. The complex comprises four schools that are organized around a core containing shared activity spaces and resources. The four schools, which will each have a unique character and identity, will take learning to the next level through Culinary Arts, Architecture and Engineering, Applied Sciences, and Performing Arts programs. Their shared activity spaces include a gymnasium, a performing arts auditorium, and foodservice and banquet facilities—many of which can be used for community events.

With a focus on advanced learning, the layout of the new school provides an open environment to encourage discovery and interaction, as well as to provide a centralized location for school administration offices, the District’s central school administrative offices, a student-operated business store, and a wellness center. The new school facility will accommodate 2,000 students and 400 faculty and staff members.

This state-of-the-art facility was designed to meet the requirements for LEED Gold certification, and incorporates various sources of renewable energy and sustainable elements. Once completed, RSC believes that this facility will meet the needs of the District while embodying the visions and the objectives of the administration and faculty to enhance the learning opportunities and experiences of its student body.