$33.8M Frayser Community High School Phase 2 in Memphis Demands 7 Low Voltage Systems

$33.8 million in new construction for Memphis''s Frayser Community High School requires seven low voltage systems, creating an estimated $2.5 million opportunity for contractors in the Tennessee market. This Building 5 Phase 2 permit is part of a $150 million campus consolidation led by Turner Construction Company.

Project Overview

Memphis-Shelby County Schools is building the new Frayser Community High School, a transformative project that consolidates two existing high schools — Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School and Trezevant High School — into a single, state-of-the-art 270,000-square-foot campus designed to serve 1,500 students. The total project investment is $150 million, making it one of the largest K-12 school construction efforts in Tennessee history.

The Building 5 Phase 2 permit, valued at $33.8 million, covers a significant portion of the campus including a theater, classrooms, vocational labs, business storage spaces, and areas supporting the outdoor stadium such as restrooms, locker rooms, and concession facilities. Building 5 is subdivided into Area F and Area G, each containing distinct programmatic elements essential to the school''s career and technology education mission.

Permit records filed with Shelby County show this phase as active, with Turner Construction Company managing the build. The campus is scheduled to open for the 2027-2028 academic year, positioning this as an active bidding and construction window for low voltage contractors across the Mid-South region.

Project	Frayser Community High School — Building 5 Phase 2
Location	Frayser Community, Memphis, TN
Phase Value	$33.8 million
Total Project Value	$150 million
Project Type	K-12 Educational
Campus Size	270,000 sq. ft.
Student Capacity	1,500
LV Score	7/10
Source	Memphis Commercial Building Permits

Key Players

This project brings together one of the nation''s top construction managers, a respected regional architecture firm, and the largest school district in Tennessee.

Role	Company	Details
General Contractor	Turner Construction Company	One of the largest construction management firms in the United States with over $16 billion in annual revenue. Turner''s Memphis office is leading this project, with Vice President and General Manager Andy Davis calling it "more than a building — it''s a promise to the next generation."
Owner	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	The largest school district in Tennessee, serving over 100,000 students. The district is consolidating MLK Prep and Trezevant High School into this single modern campus as part of its long-term facilities strategy.
Architect	A2H, Inc.	Memphis-based architecture, engineering, and planning firm. Education Market Leader Stewart Smith, AIA, is guiding the design with an emphasis on durability, flexibility, security, and community engagement.
Engineering Partner	ABES Engineering	Providing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services for the campus.

Low Voltage Systems Breakdown

The Frayser Community High School campus requires seven distinct low voltage systems spanning data infrastructure, life safety, security, wireless communications, and audiovisual technology. The diversity of spaces — from STEM labs and broadcast studios to a theater and outdoor stadium — creates layered LV complexity that demands experienced contractors with multi-discipline capabilities.

System	Category	Scope Description	Complexity
Structured Cabling	Data/Voice	Backbone and horizontal cabling for a 270,000 SF campus with STEM labs, broadcast studios, graphic design classrooms, and administrative offices. Expect Cat6A throughout with fiber backbone between buildings and MDF/IDF infrastructure supporting 1,500+ network endpoints.	High
Audio/Visual	AV	Comprehensive AV for a theater/auditorium, dozens of classrooms with interactive displays, broadcast facilities, STEM labs with projection, and the career and technology education center. The theater alone requires professional-grade audio, lighting control, and video distribution.	High
Fire Alarm	Life Safety	Campus-wide addressable fire alarm system covering multiple buildings, including high-occupancy spaces like the theater, gymnasium, and stadium support areas. Must comply with NFPA 72 and local Shelby County fire codes with smoke detection, heat detection, manual pull stations, and mass notification integration.	High
Access Control	Security	Modern school security demands comprehensive access control at all entries, classroom lockdown capabilities, visitor management integration, and credential management for 1,500 students plus staff. Building 5''s stadium-adjacent spaces add event-mode access requirements for public gatherings.	High
CCTV / Video Surveillance	Security	Interior and exterior IP camera coverage across campus buildings, parking areas, athletic fields, and the outdoor stadium. Modern K-12 security standards require high-resolution cameras with analytics, centralized NVR/VMS, and integration with access control for unified security monitoring.	Medium
DAS	Wireless	In-building wireless coverage for a 270,000 SF campus with concrete and steel construction that attenuates cellular signals. Critical for emergency communications, staff mobile devices, and ensuring reliable connectivity in large assembly spaces like the theater and gymnasium.	High
Sound Reinforcement	AV/Communication	Paging, intercom, and sound reinforcement systems for campus-wide announcements, emergency notifications, classroom communication, and the outdoor stadium PA system. Integration with fire alarm for mass notification is standard for modern K-12 facilities.	Medium

Estimated Low Voltage Value

The database does not include a pre-calculated LV value for this project. Using industry benchmarks for K-12 educational construction with seven integrated systems, the estimated low voltage contract value is approximately $2.5 million for the Building 5 Phase 2 scope alone.

Phase 2 Project Value	$33,772,790
LV Percentage (K-12, High End)	6%
System Count Multiplier (7 systems)	1.25x
Estimated LV Contract Value	$2,532,959

This estimate covers only the Building 5 Phase 2 permit. The full $150 million campus project represents a substantially larger LV opportunity across all phases, potentially exceeding $11 million in total low voltage contract value when Phase 1 and remaining campus work are included.

The AV scope alone could represent 15-20% of the LV budget given the theater, broadcast studio, and STEM lab requirements. Fire alarm and DAS are likely the next largest line items, followed by structured cabling and security systems. Smaller contractors may find entry points through subcontracting specific systems, while larger firms could pursue the integrated LV package.

Skills and Certifications Required

This project''s seven LV systems span multiple disciplines, requiring a diverse workforce with education-sector experience.

System	Key Certifications	Critical Skills
Structured Cabling	BICSI INST2, RCDD (design)	Cat6A termination, fiber splicing, Fluke certification testing, MDF/IDF buildout
Audio/Visual	CTS, CTS-I (AVIXA), Crestron/Extron certs	Theater AV integration, DSP programming, display mounting, AV-over-IP
Fire Alarm	NICET Level II+, TN State FA License	NFPA 72 compliance, addressable system programming, AHJ coordination
Access Control	PSP (ASIS), Manufacturer certs	School security protocols, lockdown integration, visitor management
CCTV	Manufacturer certs (Axis, Avigilon)	IP camera deployment, PoE networking, VMS configuration, analytics
DAS	BICSI RCDD, RF engineering	Antenna placement, carrier coordination, signal testing, fiber distribution
Sound Reinforcement	CTS (AVIXA), Manufacturer certs	Speaker placement, amplifier sizing, paging zone design, mass notification

Entry-level technicians with BICSI Installer 1 or NICET Level I credentials can contribute to cable pulling, device mounting, and basic terminations across multiple systems. Mid-level technicians with CTS-I or NICET Level II will handle system wiring, AV rack building, and fire alarm circuit testing. The theater AV integration and DAS design will require senior technicians — expect demand for at least one RCDD, a CTS-D for AV design, and a NICET Level III+ for fire alarm engineering.

Contractors should verify their Tennessee low voltage contractor license is current. Tennessee requires a specialty license for fire alarm and security system installation, administered through the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.

Market Signal

The Frayser Community High School project signals a major investment cycle in Memphis education infrastructure. At $150 million, this is not a routine school renovation — it is a generational campus build that reflects both the district''s commitment to modernizing facilities and the broader national trend toward consolidated, technology-rich K-12 campuses.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools serves over 100,000 students, and this consolidation model — merging two underperforming schools into a single state-of-the-art facility — could set a template for future projects in the district. Turner Construction''s Memphis office is also leading the $73 million Tennessee College of Applied Technology campus nearby, suggesting sustained demand for education-sector construction in the region.

For low voltage contractors in the Mid-South, the message is clear: education technology spending is accelerating. Schools are no longer just buildings with outlets — they are technology platforms requiring structured cabling for 1:1 device programs, professional AV for hybrid learning, DAS for emergency communications, and integrated security systems that can lockdown facilities in seconds. Contractors who develop K-12 expertise now will be positioned for a growing market segment.

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