Note: Geothermal drilling continues through October, and this work is noisy. Expect other construction activity a minimum of 10 hours per weekday, starting early and extending to 9 p.m. throughout the project.
Originally opened in 1904, Henry Clay is Lexington’s oldest public high school. At the dedication ceremony for the original Main Street location, it was said that the school would be like “a rich sapphire set in pure gold,” manifested in today’s school colors of blue and gold and the tradition of excellence upheld by faculty, staff, and students over 100 years later.
As it steps down the site from a two-story façade along Lakeshore Drive, the new school will echo the 1928 building and reflects the historic neighborhood through the use of traditional materials like brick and limestone. It will also celebrate the shining sapphire set in gold with moments of gleaming glass and glazed blue brick.
Inside, tradition will give way to a 21st century learning environment designed to meet the complex and evolving needs of learners and educators. Classrooms will be augmented by meeting and lab spaces that support STEM programming, digital media, and career and technical pathways. Additionally, flexible multi-purpose rooms will accommodate a variety of instructional and extra-curricular activities and create opportunities for collaboration across departments.
Replacing a 55-year-old structure on the Fontaine Road site, the new building and reconfigured campus will bolster the innovative teaching and learning for which Henry Clay is known. An additional 100,000 square feet of area, natural daylight in all classrooms, secure outdoor instructional spaces, increased parking and stack space, upgraded technology, and sustainable building systems will support about 2,500 administrators, teachers, and students.