On Friday, Nov. 13, Norfolk city officials, school leaders, alumni and community members gathered in the Ghent neighborhood to sign a steel beam that will become a permanent feature of the new Maury High School. The ceremony marks a visible milestone in the four‑story, 1,750‑student campus slated to welcome its first students in the fall of 2028.
City Councilmember Carlos Clanton, a Maury graduate, signed the beam and reflected on his involvement from the groundbreaking to the rising steel framework. “I was here for the groundbreaking, but now to actually see that the walls are up… my signature will be on this for as long as the school will be here,” Clanton said. Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander also participated in the signing.
Robert Hudson, vice president of Heartland Construction, explained that the beam will be installed in the school’s main events lobby, between the gymnasium and auditorium, where it will be visible to students, teachers and visitors. “Right when you walk through the doors and look up, this beam will be right there,” Hudson said, adding that the beam is intended to remain for the next 100 years.
Construction on the new building began in November 2025 and is proceeding on schedule, according to Hudson. Crews have already completed the new baseball and softball fields, which were turned over to Norfolk Public Schools about a month and a half ago and will be used for practices before the spring sports season. Structural steel continues to rise on the main building, with the third and fourth floors expected in the coming weeks, followed by brick, windows and glass that complement the historic school and surrounding neighborhood.
Superintendent Dr. Jeff Rose, who visited the aging Maury High School earlier this year, said the new campus is a “much‑needed investment” for students and facilities. He described the current building as “crumbling to a degree” and emphasized that the new school will provide 21st‑century learning spaces while preserving the spirit of Maury’s legacy.
City leaders have not yet decided the future use of the historic Maury building, but Councilmember Clanton indicated that preserving the historic structure remains a priority and that adaptive‑reuse options are being explored. The council is expected to address the question in upcoming meetings.
What’s next: Construction crews will continue adding the upper floors and exterior finishes over the next several weeks. Norfolk City Council will later consider options for the historic Maury building, and the district plans to begin student enrollment processes as the fall 2028 opening approaches.
Sources: wtkr.com
