Doug McCrory

Sen. McCrory Tours Newly Renovated Weaver High School

State paid 95% of $133 million renovation; Sen. McCrory touted as “a big champion” of the project

HARTFORD – Just one day before it was scheduled to re-open to nearly 1,000 high school students, state Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) joined local and state officials today for a tour of the newly renovated Thomas Snell Weaver High School on Granby Street in the North End of Hartford.

The school — originally opened on September 9, 1974, and named after a former Connecticut journalist and Hartford schools superintendent – was renovated for $133 million, 95% of which was paid for by the State of Connecticut.

Sen. McCrory, who served as a vice-principal at Weaver in 2003 and 2004 and who lives just 10 blocks from the high school, was characterized today by Mayor Luke Bronin and by construction officials as “a big champion” of the project who “is personally taking Hartford to the next stage” by supporting a renovation seven years in the making.

“I worked here, I live in this school district,’ Sen. McCrory said. “This renovation means a lot to this community, to have their flagship school up and running again. It took a lot of work over the years to get to this point. At one point people were considering closing this school, but the community came together, and ultimately their hard work and commitment paid off. This is a new start for this community.”

The renovation includes several elements: not just a better Weaver High, but the inclusion of the Richard J. Kinsella Performing Arts High School and the Journalism and Media Academy.

While the auditorium and the Doc Hurley Field House are still under construction, academic portions of the school are complete, including standard classrooms, the biology lab, graphics arts lab, musical theatre room, black box theatre, dance room, radio studio, cafeteria, media center, medical clinic, and dental suite.