The $232m, 31-acre Compton High School has been completed and will open to 1,800 students this school year in Compton, south of downtown Los Angeles.
Andre Romelle Young, also known as the musician Dr. Dre, donated $10m towards the school’s 40,868-sq-ft performing arts centre, called the “Andre ‘Dr. Dre’ Young Performing Arts Center”.
Young did not attend Compton High himself but Eazy-E and DJ Yella, fellow members of his hip hop group, N.W.A, did.
Swinerton Builders was the campus’ general contractor. It was designed by DLR Group and managed by Cumming Group.
The new school replaced the old Compton High School built in 1896.
Demolition began in 2019, with almost 200 workers on site everyday to replace the 126-year-old school.
The campus also includes a 140,639-sq-ft academic building, 36,534-sq-ft gym, football stadium, half-sized olympic swimming pool and a fully digital library without any physical books.
The project was financed by the district’s “Built by Compton” initiative, which prioritises local hiring and small business.
Larry Natividad, Compton School’s principal, said: “For too long, perceptions of Compton have been shaped by outdated narratives that fail to reflect the strength, resilience and brilliance of our community.
“The new Compton High School stands as a bold statement: The future of Compton is bright, innovative and full of promise.”
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