$150M High Tech High School Opens in Secaucus, NJ

SECAUCUS, NJ—Hudson County’s newest High Tech High School is open. Set on the 20-acre Frank J. Gargiulo Campus, the new $150 million facility will educate nearly 2,000 students in more than 70 leading-edge classrooms and specialty spaces. The Hudson County Improvement Authority managed the design and construction process for Hudson County Schools of Technology and partnered with RSC Architects, DMR Architects, MAST Construction Services and Terminal Construction Corp. to design and build the new 350,000-square-foot school.

The county vocational magnet school—which serves grades 9-12 in Hudson County—combines technically focused, hands-on learning with a challenging academic curriculum. The school replaces a former aging, undersized North Bergen campus.

“The Frank J. Gargiulo Campus will quickly become the gold standard for technical high schools across the country,” says Amy Lin-Rodriguez, acting superintendent of HCST. “Our design team, working collaboratively with our educators, have created something truly revolutionary. I know that it will serve our students and staff with the resources to drive learning to the next level.”

The new campus features a fabrication lab to help students explore spatial ideas through model building, a 120-seat black box theater, 325-seat performing arts auditorium, 80-inch interactive monitors to replace and enhance standard chalkboard learning, and a TV production studio with a functioning control room. Outdoor features include a hydroponic rooftop garden where students will grow food to be used in the culinary kitchen lab.

The school was designed to meet LEED Gold standards and requirements for sustainability. Features like water efficient landscaping, geothermal heating, green roof and wind turbines were implemented to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases and wastewater emitted from the campus.

“It’s an honor to see the former Field Station Dinosaur Park transformed into a campus that puts Hudson County on the map as a top educational and environmentally conscious landmark,” says Norman Guerra, CEO of the Hudson County Improvement Authority. “We have our outstanding designers and construction managers to thank.”

As home to High Tech High School, KAS Prep and Hudson Technical, the campus’ wings incorporate four academies of vocational education: Culinary Arts, Design & Fabrication, Applied & Environmental Science, and Visual/Tech & Performing Arts.

More than 10 years ago, HCST and RSC Architects developed bridging documents to ensure the vision for the school would become a reality. The HCIA managed the final design and construction, utilizing the design-build method to ensure a streamlined process. Terminal Construction Corporation was retained as contractor, and DMR Architects as the architect of record. Mast Construction Services was engaged as the owner’s representative and construction manager to oversee the day-to-day activities.

“Education trends are leaning more towards project-based learning to teach students ‘real world’ lessons, as opposed to sitting behind desks in a classroom,” says John P. Capazzi, president of RSC Architects.

“The new High Tech High School will be a model for other districts seeking to be more progressive with their curriculums and preparedness of students for real-life success,” says Lloyd Rosenberg, president and CEO of DMR Architects.

The Frank J. Gargiulo Campus of HCST is located at One High Tech Way at Laurel Hill Park, near the Frank R. Lautenberg NJ Transit Train Station.