The Maryland School for the Blind will build a new athletics facility and make other campus upgrades as part of a $65.5 million renovation project.
With an estimated $65.5 million budget, it will be the largest capital project in the school’s 172-year history. The school in Overlea aims for the renovations to “restore vital student programs, expand accessibility, and improve campus safety for current and future generations of MSB students,” according to a news release.
School officials, county leaders, and other community members gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 23.
Construction is expected to be completed by February 2029. The school’s existing Knefely Gym will be demolished.
The project is largely funded by $62.4 million in state funding that was secured through the Interagency Commission on Public School Construction.
“This project is one of the final and most ambitious phases in our campus master plan, and it represents a commitment to our students’ safety, confidence and quality of life,” said Rob Hair, superintendent of the Maryland School for the Blind, in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to Governor Moore, the State of Maryland and the Interagency Commission on School Construction for believing in our mission and sharing our commitment to providing an exceptional and safe educational environment for blind and low-vision students.”
The athletics facility will include a lap pool, sensory pool, gymnasium/auditorium, strength training room, and a mat room. The school has not had a pool on its campus since 2020.
The lap and sensory pools will feature ramp access for water wheelchairs. The sensory pool will be outfitted with gentle jets, bubbles and marine-themed murals to help users regulate their emotions and engage their senses.
The combined gymnasium and auditorium, or “gymnatorium,” will include a stage and project system, where the school will hold adaptive physical education programs, performances, and school events.
The project will update other parts of the school’s campus, including a new changing and restroom facility that will be constructed near the school’s running track, a redesigned main entrance with electronic gates, and sidewalk infrastructure improvements.
The Maryland School for the Blind serves more than 1,400 in-state and out-of-state students annually, including more than 200 students on campus.The school also hosts community events, such as their annual See Beyond Festival, which brings together sighted people and blind and low vision individuals.
