DC Opens $74 Million Infrastructure Academy Campus at Former Spingarn High School

Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Department of Employment Services (DOES) and the DC Department of General Services (DGS) have opened the new DC Infrastructure Academy (DCIA) campus at the former Spingarn High School in Ward 5. The ribbon-cutting marks the final stage of the $74 million Spingarn renovation project.

The facility has 50,000 square feet of renovated interior space and 12,000 square feet of exterior training space. It includes an automotive lab, instructional and training rooms, a Pepco training yard, flexible outdoor work areas, a north courtyard terrace and a new main entrance. New automotive bays will let students train on large vehicles such as Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) buses.

DCIA launched in 2018, and more than 6,500 District residents have come through its doors since then, according to the city. The academy has partnered with DC Water, Pepco, Washington Gas, WMATA and other employers to connect residents with jobs. More than 300 participants have graduated from the Pepco training program alone, with 95% securing employment, and DCIA will welcome its 20th Pepco training group in Fiscal Year 2027.

DCIA will keep its presence at Shannon Place SE in Ward 8, where IT and cybersecurity training will continue. Mayor Bowser said the new facility will allow the academy to expand opportunities and build on its momentum.

Why it matters

Residents interested in construction, energy and telecommunications careers will have more training capacity in the District. The project also shows a historic school campus being renovated for a new public use.

Source:Executive Office of the Mayor, October 1, 2026. Read the original release