August 29, 2017
New Elementary School Opens At SunCal’s Potomac Shores Community In Northern Virginia
19-acre Campus Serves K-5 Students from Master-Planned Community and Surrounding Area
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA. (Aug. 29, 2017) – Construction at Potomac Shores continues to move forward as the 1,920-acre mixed-use community 30 miles south of Washington, D.C., celebrated the Aug. 24 opening of a new 19-acre elementary school that will serve its residents; the first day of classes is Aug. 28.
The ribbon-cutting of the new Covington-Harper Elementary School was attended by a crowd of over 100 persons that included community dignitaries, local government officials, Potomac Shores representatives and the general public. Potomac Shores is being developed by SunCal, one of the largest real estate development companies in the U.S. that specializes in large-scale, mixed-use master- planned communities.
The new school is designed to support 900 students and offers kindergarten through fifth grade classes. Operated by Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), the campus has a first-year enrollment of about 500 students.
The school’s name, Covington-Harper, was chosen by the PWCS School Board to honor two persons who have made significant contributions to the local community. Betty Covington served Prince William County schools for more than 50 years as a teacher, principal and school board trustee. John Harper, Jr. broke barriers in 1996 as the first African-American elected to public office in Prince William County, when he won a seat on the school board. He was also the first African-American to head a county department.
SunCal, as Potomac Shores’ master developer, donated the land for the school and began collaborating with the PWCS in 2014 to develop the site, and planning and permitting for the project were completed in August 2015. SunCal began the site’s earth-moving and grading work in February 2016, moving over 130,000 cubic yards of fill dirt to prepare the building pads. The fully prepared site was delivered in April 2016 so that vertical construction by the PWCS contractor could begin.
“Having this new school in the heart of our community is a great convenience for our residents, “said Andrew Wagner, Potomac Shores Project Manager. “There has been much anticipation from the families here about having their own ‘neighborhood school,’ and we are pleased that we were able to provide the land and prepare the site for this beautiful new facility.”
About Potomac Shores
Potomac Shores covers 1,920 acres and features nearly two miles of shoreline, 1,000 acres of preserved hardwood forests and streams, traditional Virginia Tidewater architectural designs and the area’s only public Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. This transit-oriented development is planned for a mixed-use town center, a new VRE commuter rail station, a waterfront village, a resort-style hotel and a corporate campus. Its master plan also includes two public schools, multiple sports fields, 10 miles of trails and over 3,800 residences. The community recently opened the 13,000 square-foot Shores Club, a private recreation and fitness complex, and has sold over 400 new homes. For more information, visit www.potomacshores.com.
About SunCal
SunCal acquires, entitles and develops major residential properties and commercial developments. The company creates distinctive master-planned and mixed-use communities that emphasize quality of life, environmental sensitivity and recreational opportunities. SunCal is one of the largest real estate development companies in the U.S. that specializes in large-scale, mixed-use master-planned communities, and has offices in Irvine, Calif.; Northern California; New York City; Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.suncal.com.
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