Project Update: Grayhound Performing Arts Center

More than a month since ground was broken to begin construction of the Burlington Community School District's new Grayhound Performing Arts Center (GPAC), work is advancing on-schedule to achieve the district's Spring 2027 opening.

Being led by the construction management team from Carl A. Nelson & Company, contractors are nearing completion of the demolition phase of the project, which involves gutting the previous auditorium space at Aldo Leopold Intermediate School and opening the south wall to accommodate the new stage.

The $7.46 million project (construction cost) includes 8,390 SF of total renovations, and a 6,641 SF addition, nearly doubling the size of the previous auditorium from 7,500 SF to 14,500 SF, and increasing seating capacity from 507 to 711. 

The addition houses the new stage, wing space and stagecraft shop, while the renovation will include construction of a  sloped auditorium, and the conversion of a pair of locker rooms for use as changing rooms. Fixed seating — a portion of the front two rows of seats is removeable to accommodate a pit orchestra — replaces the bleacher-style auditorium seating that had been in use in the space since the school opened in 2010. 

Carl A. Nelson & Company was engaged for the project during pre-construction, continuing the same collaborative team of CANCO and Bray Architects that delivered a successful renovation at Burlington High School. That three-year, $43 million project opened in August 2025 after a 10-phase renovation that touched almost every part of the 57-year-old building.

Completion of the GPAC project is scheduled for May 2027. The finished facility will provide performance space for Burlington music and drama programs from kindergarten through 12th grade. Community organizations also will have the opportunity to schedule events in the space.