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School Construction 2001

August 30, 2001

Raze or renovate?

  • Sometimes the decision whether to replace an aging school is based on more than the bottom line.
  • By DUTCH DUARTE
    BJSS Duarte Bryant

    Image courtesy of BJSS Duarte Bryant
    Raze: A 1925 school building in Raymond was demolished because it would have cost too much to renovate. Instead, a new addition was built and connected to a second building on the school’s campus.

    Photo courtesy of Eckert & Eckert
    Renovate: Despite its failings, McDermoth Elementary in Aberdeen was considered an important historical structure. With the support of the community, the local school district decided to repair and modernize the building.

    The U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that $112 billion will be required to renovate and modernize our nation’s schools.

    Fifty percent of America’s schools report unsatisfactory environmental conditions such as poor ventilation, heating or lighting problems, and poor physical security. A major issue confronting school districts is the overall well-being of staff and students.

    Functional changes are also necessary to accommodate rising student enrollments, reduced class size, accessibility for all students and technology for the 21st century.

    Supporting the idea that school facilities can affect the students’ ability to learn, a study by the U.S. Department of Education called “Impact of Inadequate School Facilities on Student Learning,” shows that students in overcrowded schools or substandard facilities scored on average five percentile points less than students in properly equipped, well-maintained schools.

    Considering all options, our nation’s school districts will face the daunting question of whether to renovate and modernize, or construct a new school. Economic conditions of the district contribute to the decision, as does the historical significance of the building to the neighborhood. The decision is not always simple.

    There are obvious steps to begin the assessment process. The first is to conduct a campus analysis listing strengths and weaknesses of the buildings and the sites. Potential problem areas include code requirements, facility envelope (roof, walls, windows, slab), mechanical systems (steam or hot water upgrade, air circulation), electrical and technological systems (power distributions, lighting, computers, security systems), energy demands, and program requirements, including curriculum and extended hours.

    When identifying the financial impact of modernizing, it is imperative to include all update costs and short- and long-term operating expenses. It is critical to identify all costs so a comparison can be made to a new school facility of the same size on a similar site.

    But when comparing costs based on square footage, it is important to remember that schools built now cannot compare with schools built 50 years ago. Schools of yesteryear had more volume square footage that included taller windows (tall, wide windows are not possible in new schools due to energy codes), wider hallways and higher ceilings. They were also built with more quality materials than today’s schools. So, a cost-to-cost comparison of a new facility vs. modernizing can be misleading.

    Sustainability is an established criterion that, as architects, we consider for new and renovated facilities. An existing building has already expended resources of materials and labor. Careful renovation can reduce landfills, decrease air pollution and save on natural resources.

    After critiquing all existing conditions, functional aspects, and historical considerations of renovating an existing facility, a mathematical formula can be applied. A number of applications are available. The facilities division of the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction allows a district to build “new in lieu” of modernizing if the cost of modernization exceeds 80 percent of the cost of a new facility.

    Historically significant buildings and the preservation of such facilities in a community can be a critical factor in deciding if a school structure should be renovated and modernized.

    Although the costs for replacing physical systems can be set, the architectural integrity of the building is more difficult to access.


    Rate your building
    Harvey Kaiser, an established architectural consultant, has developed a formula based on industry standards that will create a single numerical indicator of a school’s overall physical condition, called the facility condition index (FCI).

    To calculate a school’s FCI, divide the needed repair dollars by the replacement value dollars. If the result is below .05, then your building is in good condition. If it is between .05 and .10, then your building is rated as fair. Above .10, the building is in poor shape.

    Critical factors to be considered include the building’s ornate façade, leaded windows, high ceilings, whether the building was designed by a notable architect, the support of alumni, and community attachment. A hard-to-replace building in a community can strongly influence in a district’s decision of whether to renovate or build new.

    As architects, we need to caution that each school will be different, and thus it is not easy to apply a generic formula. Careful analysis by the architect and engineer can greatly assist school districts with their decision. Sometimes the answer is a hybrid of renovation and new construction. Fastidious remodeling along with an addition can meet the needs of the students and staff.

    The Aberdeen School District had a difficult decision to make concerning the McDermoth Elementary School. The school was constructed in 1930. By 1995, the building was no longer able to operate as intended.

    This building is a valuable and attractive part of Aberdeen history and the community wanted to extend its life within financial constraints. A detailed analysis was conducted that produced three options: modernize the building, raze the building and construct a new school, or remodel the building to meet educational needs. Because of community support and the building’s repairable state, the option to modernize was deemed feasible.

    Raymond Junior/Senior High School was one of those projects in which there was not a clear solution. This project involved a new building addition, modernization and demolition.

    The site contained buildings from 1925 and 1956. The Raymond School District realized the school was unable to provide students academic support and a sense of community. With assistance from architects and engineers, the district decided to demolish the 1925 building, which would have otherwise cost too much to renovate and upgrade. To compensate for the loss of space, a new addition was constructed to blend and connect with the 1956 building, which was modernized.

    While structures were being modernized, the campus also underwent a change. The school district and community decided to renovate the track and football field, a measure designed to improve school pride.

    There is no easy way to decide whether to modernize or build new. Though the financial bottom line is usually a strong influence in such decisions, it is not the only factor to consider.

    The intrinsic value of a building that possesses unique design accents, style and importance to the community is hard to fully appreciate until it has been replaced.


    Dutch Duarte is the president of BJSS Duarte Bryant and has been in the architecture field for 27 years. Some of his notable designs include Seward Elementary School historic renovation and addition, Seattle University Garrand Building restoration and modernization, and Western Washington University Edens Hall historic renovation and modernization.


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