Lighthouse Preparatory Academy (LPA) - a Christian, university-model school for sixth- to 12th-graders - will soon have its own home in Jefferson City.
Since opening in 2007, the school has rented space from Columbia College at 3414 Emerald Lane, near the Wildwood/Edgewood Drive intersection.
Although that cooperative agreement has gone well, LPA Administrator Mike Rapp said: "We're ready for a little more space."
Now, LPA is building a new school on El Mercado Plaza, off Amazonas Drive. The location is behind Capital Mall and near the newest YMCA.
The school will more than triple its size from about 6,000 square feet to 19,000. It will contain seven classrooms, two laboratories, a gym, offices, teacher lounge and storage space.
The school, which has about 129 students, is looking to spread out a little more than it's looking to grow.
"Unlike most schools, that (growth) is not our core objective," Rapp said. "We really value smallness and getting to know each individual student. This is about where we want to be numerically."
He said the school sells itself when people come to visit. "Just stand in the hallway when they're changing classes and look at their faces," he said. "They're just a happy group of students."
Building permits for November 2013
Ryan Prenger Construction, 2181 June Court, residential new building, $170,000.
Ryan Prenger Construction, 2183 June Court, residential new building, $170,000.
Crader's Creative Construction LLC, 3065 Mercedes Lane, residential additions building, $3,500.
Dave Burks Construction LLC, 504 Turnberry Drive, residential new building, $500,000.
Diane Vitello, 2131 Tanner Bridge Road, residential additions building, $25,000.
James Foster, 2034 W. Main St., residential additions building, $30,000.
Steven Rollins, 520 E. State St., non-residential alteration building, $5,000.
Central MO Turf Management Inc., 1911 Wyatt Court, residential new building, $100,000.
Diamond R. Equipment LLC, 2312 E. McCarty St., non-residential alteration building, $24,050.
Ryan Schrimpf Construction LLC, 404 Dix Road, non-residential alteration building, $10,500.
Robert C and Kathie A Redel, 322 Kent St., non-residential addition building.
Sound Performance Inc., 3628 W. Truman Blvd., non-residential addition building, $7,000.
Alexandre Vasko, 1928 N. Circle Drive, residential additions building, $1,200.
Turk's Construction Inc., 901 Boonville Road, residential alteration building, $28,000.
Pools Unlimited LLC, 136 Palisades Drive, residential additions building, $46,600.
Thomas Elwood, 1720 Lisa Court, residential alteration building, $8,000.
Mueller Landscape Construction, 112 W. Miller St., non-residential alteration building, $108,000.
Bax Homeworks LLC, 630 Oak Creek Court, residential alteration building, $7,000.
Bax Homeworks LLC, 634 Oak Creek Court, residential alteration building, $7,400.
Lighthouse Preparatory Academy, 216 El Mercado Plaza, non-residential addition building, $311,000.
L.G. Berry Construction, 215 E. Capitol Ave., non-residential addition building, $3,000.
Charles Rental Co. LLC, 1224 E. Miller St., residential additions building, $4,000.
Freed Developments LLC, 128 E. Dunklin St., non-residential alteration building, $105,000.
Loethen Construction, Inc., 6850 Algoa Road, non-residential new building, $1,250,000.
Dana Basel, 419 Meier Drive, residential additions building, $20,000.
WAVCO, 220 Madison St., Suite 200B, non-residential alteration building, $2,000.
James Lage Masonry LLC, 2198 June Court, residential new building, $125,000.
James Lage Masonry LLC, 1907 Vieth Drive, residential new building, $130,000.
Eric Bryan Construction, 3860 Riley Court, residential new building, $140,000.
Wisch & Vaughan Construction Co., 101 W. High St., non-residential alteration building, $2,000.
Ken Otke Construction Co. Inc., 216 Burke Place, residential alteration building, $200,000.
Ahrens Contracting, 615 Mulberry St., non-residential demolition building.
Ahrens Contracting, 609 Mulberry St., non-residential demolition building.
Ahrens Contracting, 605 Mulberry St., non-residential demolition building.
Ahrens Contracting, 601 Mulberry St., non-residential demolition building.
Ahrens Contracting, 711 Mulberry St., residential demolition building.
Darrell Wilbers Excavating Inc., 1207 E. Miller St., residential demolition building.