July 8, 2014

School focused on dyslexia is building unique space for multi-sensory learning

Image courtesy of NAC Architecture [enlarge]

Hamlin Robinson School recently broke ground on its future home at 1701 S. 20th St. in Seattle. The independent school for grades 1-8 is moving from the former T.T. Minor elementary school at 1700 E. Union St.

General contractor Kirtley-Cole Associates expects to finish the 45,000-square-foot project next June.

The school will have 21 classrooms, library, science lab, art and music rooms, gym, innovation/technology lab and the HRS Learning Center.

Hamlin Robinson specializes in teaching people with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences. A Kirtley-Cole release says the new school will be the first in the nation to be designed and built for a unique multi-sensory teaching method.

NAC Architecture designed the building to support the teaching method with natural lighting, soundproofing, special floor plans and temperature controls. Those details are expected to help students focus better and perform to their potential.

The project team is Warren Co. (owner's representative), Springline Design (civil), Andrews Landscape Architects, DCI Engineers (structural), CDI Engineers, (mechanical) and Travis Fitzmaurice & Associates (electrical).

Hamlin Robinson has operated in four locations during its 31-year existence. It has leased space in the 49,754-square-foot T.T. Minor building for several years from Seattle Public Schools.

Next June, Seattle Schools will begin modernizing the 1940 T.T. Minor building to house a bilingual program called Seattle World School. The budget for that school is $14 million and the new space should open in the fall of 2016.

Seattle World School and Nova High School now occupy Meany Middle School at 301 21st Ave. E.

Nova, an alternative school, will move to Horace Mann School at 2410 E. Cherry St., where an addition and renovation is underway. That project, with a $12.6 million budget, is expected to open this fall.

Once the two schools move out of Meany, that building will get a $14.2 million renovation and reopen in fall 2017 as a middle school.