Stevens & Wilkinson has successfully completed a $52 million renovation and expansion project of the David T. Howard School. The school was originally opened in 1924, closing 52 years later in 1976.
The rehabilitation project began in 2017 and included the renovation of the existing 100,000-sf historic classroom building as well as 108,000 sf of new construction. The new construction will include an administrative wing based on an original design element that was never built, a four-level classroom addition, a media center, an auditorium, a music wing, and a kitchen and cafeteria.
The original buildings historic features, including brick details, interior plaster, and terrazzo materials, were maintained. The new addition connects to the existing building with elements that keep the existing building’s brick visible and joins all the building’s components.
Also included in the project was a significant renovation of the existing gymnasium. The gym’s original steel windows were refurbished, the gym and stage floors were replaced with a wooden sports floor, the original brushed aluminum high bay light fixtures were refitted with high output LEDs, the original wood benches on steel brackets were lightly sanded and sealed, and the locker rooms were redesigned to provide modern facilities and a weight room.
The completed school is a four-story concrete frame building with brick cladding. The floor plan is a “U” shape with corridors connecting the classroom wings. Four stair towers, one at each corner of the building, are expressed on the exterior by taller walls and decorative brick and stone details. The main entrances along the bottom of the “U” are identified by decorative brick and stone details as well.
In addition to Stevens & Wilkinson serving as the lead architecture and engineering firm, Lord Aeck Sargent provided historic rehabilitation, landscape design, and building skin design.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Feb 9, 2018
University of Missouri’s new dining experience lessens food waste and inventory
The project was designed by KWK Architects.
Education Facilities | Jan 29, 2018
My day as a kindergartner
The idea of a kindergarten-only school presents both challenges and opportunities in regards to the design.
K-12 Schools | Jan 24, 2018
Hawaii’s first net-zero public school
G70 is the architect, planner, and civil engineer of record for the project.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Jan 23, 2018
New co-working space will focus on serving local, African-American youth in Miami
The new space has been dubbed ‘Tribe.’
University Buildings | Jan 19, 2018
A 360-degree classroom highlights Washington State University’s new academic innovation hub
The circle-in-the-round classroom can accommodate 275 students.
University Buildings | Jan 18, 2018
New living/learning facility at the University of Illinois at Chicago breaks ground
Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) designed the facility.
Education Facilities | Jan 9, 2018
Elementary school, daycare campus will serve Toronto's skyrise neighborhood
While the district’s vertical living lifestyle is geared for young singles and empty nesters, CityPlace has attracted a surprising number of families.
Education Facilities | Jan 8, 2018
Three former school buildings are repurposed to create mini-campus for teacher education
The $25.3 million project is currently under construction on the Winona State University campus.
Healthcare Facilities | Jan 6, 2018
A new precision dental center embodies Columbia University’s latest direction for oral medicine education
The facility, which nests at “the core” of the university’s Medical Center, relies heavily on technology and big data.
Education Facilities | Jan 2, 2018
New Bancroft Campus responds to the challenges of autism through design
The 80-acre campus is located in Mount Laurel, N.J.