The Fifth Street Renovation Project is a bold, district-wide transformation of our historic campus—designed to support the passions, creativity, and future readiness of every Bardstown student. The multi-phase plan includes a cutting-edge media arts hub with collaboration zones and large group presentation areas; a dedicated arts education wing with outdoor performance spaces; and a new cafeteria designed for connection and community. Classroom updates across the campus and a fully reimagined Career and Technical Education center will create flexible, hands-on learning environments that reflect the way today’s students learn and thrive. Set for completion in 2030, the renovation is more than a construction project—it’s a reinvestment in our students, our schools, and the future of learning, The Bardstown Way.
Project Milestones and Timeline
Bardstown City Schools continues to move forward with the 5th Street Renovation Project, and we are excited to share the latest updates on Phase 2 of construction. This phase includes major work across multiple areas of our campus that will transform learning spaces for our students.
Phase 2 Areas of Work:
- Area A – A Wing classrooms
- Area B – Gymnasium
- Area C – Library and lower-level classrooms
- Area D – Cafeteria
The A Wing will be transformed into a hub for the arts. Classrooms will be redesigned for strings, chorus, band, and visual arts, creating specialized learning spaces that match the needs of our growing arts programs. Plans also include an outdoor performance space that will give students new opportunities to share their talents with our school and community.
- Anticipated demo start date: September 2025
Anticipated completion date: March 2027 - Current progress: The Mechanical area demo is 90% complete. Once interior walls are removed and debris cleared, demolition of the catwalk and the center portion of the A Wing will begin.
Renovations to the interior of the gymnasium will include painting, a new court, and a new scoreboard, providing students with updated athletic facilities.
- Anticipated start date: June 2026
- Anticipated completion date: October 2026
The lower-level classrooms will receive a full renovation, including updated infrastructure and modernized learning spaces. The current library will be transformed into a science wing with labs for chemistry, biology, earth sciences, and physics, providing students with hands-on learning and exploration opportunities. During construction, the library will temporarily relocate to the Bardstown Polytechnic Center, with plans for a new library space in a future phase of the Fifth Street Renovation Project.
The current cafeteria will be demolished to make way for a larger and more modern cafeteria designed to meet the needs of students and staff on this campus.
We are excited to see Phase 2 moving forward and grateful for the patience and support of our students, families, and staff during construction. These renovations will create modern, innovative spaces designed to enhance learning for our 6–12 grade students for years to come.
Seeing Tomorrow Today: Students Share Their Excitement
Hear directly from Joseph Cooper, a Bardstown High School senior, about what the Fifth Street Renovation Project means to students. This video was featured in Governor Andy Beshear’s Team Kentucky update and highlights how these improvements will create more opportunities for hands-on learning, collaboration, and growth.
Watch the video below to see the renovation through a student’s eyes.
