September 6, 1999

Five new schools greet students

  • Despite labor shortage, all five come in on time, within budget

    • By ANNU MANGAT
    Journal Staff Reporter

    As classes resume today, brand-new buildings are greeting students and teachers at five schools in the Seattle Public School system.

    Their construction is part of a large-scale building project that involves the replacement or renovation of 19 schools, funded by a $330 million construction levy that Seattle voters approved in 1995. Six of the building projects will be bid over the next year.

    John Vacchiery, facilities director for the Seattle Public Schools, said the district is renovating and building new schools to replace structures built in the early 1900s.

    Ballard High School
    The commons in the new Ballard High School. Designed by Mahlum Architects, Ballard is the first new high school the Seattle public school system has built since 1963.
    Photo by Kiewit Construction
    Vacchiery said that increased enrollment -- a factor in school construction in Eastside cities such as Issaquah -- is not driving Seattle's effort to revamp its schools. Enrollment in Seattle's schools has remained stable since the mid-1980s and is actually lower than it was in the 1960s, he said.

    Ralph Rohwer of the construction management firm Heery International is managing the school's building program. He said the region's short supply of construction labor has been his biggest challenge. Despite the labor crunch, he said that overall the project has been on time and within budget.

    Ballard High School

    The new Ballard High School, at a cost of $48.2 million, is the most expensive of the five. The 240,000-square-foot school was constructed on the site of the old Ballard High School, which was demolished because of its poor condition. Concrete and brick from the old high school, built in 1916, were crushed and used as fill under the new school.

    Designed by Mahlum Architects, the new high school boasts high-tech classrooms, a biotechnology laboratory, computer labs and a state-of-the-art auditorium and music rooms.

    Amid these new features, the building retains some elements of the old high school. Concrete casts of the old tulip design appear on the south side of the building, and replicas of the old copper panels line the space between windows on the front wall.

    Framing the school's main entrance are six majestic 70-year-old shade trees from the original site.

    During the building's two-year construction period, students attended classes at an interim site in the former Lincoln High School.

    The general contractor for the new Ballard High was Kiewit Construction Co.

    Whittier Elementary

    Another new school graces the neighborhood of Ballard. Whittier Elementary School at 1320 N.W. 75th St. also opens its doors today. Designed by the DLR Group, the $13.5 million building replaces two schools, which were built in the early 1900s.

    Whittier principal Greg Imel said he likes the efficient design of the new school, which allows him a central view of the playground and kindergarten. Movable walls, he said, allow for flexible use of classroom space.

    Whittier Elementary
    Whittier Elementary School's interior design uses abstract art to evoke Ballard's maritime and industrial past.
    Photo by DLR
    Designed as a school that also could be used by the community, the 66,000-square-foot building includes separate spaces for a senior citizen program, day care facilities and a Head Start program. Imel said he sees this multipurpose community use of public schools as a growing trend.

    Displayed in the main entry of the school are abstract art forms that highlight the maritime history of Ballard. The interior features a "ship canal" passageway, a "gatehouse" in the learning resource center and a bridge-like structure that crosses the lobby.

    The main school sign and front entrance are composites of stained glass and terra cotta salvaged from the old school, which was demolished. Other exterior materials include brick and concrete masonry units.

    Curved roofs, painted window details and the entry gatehouse complement the overall design theme. Playful sculptures, including a purple sea creature, enliven the backyard play area where tiles created by Whittier students accent concrete walls.

    Wick Constructors was the general contractor for the new Whittier school; consultants included Symonds Consulting Engineers and Anas Design Associates.

    Cooper Elementary

    One of the most noticeable features of the new Cooper Elementary School, located on a quiet cul-de-sac on 1901 SW Genesee St. in West Seattle, is the open, graceful landscaping surrounding it.

    The 71,000-square-foot school sits on 14 grassy acres and is part of a 40-acre parcel purchased from the University of Washington. The surrounding area, which consists of wetlands and forest, is owned by the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation. The area will be accessible to the school for environmental learning.

    Cooper Elementary School
    The new Cooper Elementary School is located on a quiet cul-de-sac in West Seattle, surrounded by woods and a wetland.
    Photo by Annu Mangat
    Designed by the BCRA Tsang Partnership, Cooper Elementary features a multicolored exterior that blends well with the adjacent landscape.

    The two classroom wings for the school were built around a central hub, with an open balcony, which will function as a gathering space for students. The total cost of the Cooper Elementary building project is $16.9 million. Wick Constructors was the general contractor.

    Highland Park

    Building placement also features prominently in design of the new Highland Park Elementary School, which faces a public playground. The new school, located on 1012 SW Trenton St. in West Seattle, connects the park's playground with the schoolyard, a covered play space and gym.

    Nestled on 3.7 acres, the 72,000-square-foot school is surrounded by single-family homes. The $14.6 million facility was designed by BLR+B Architects and built by Lydig Construction.

    TOPS at Seward

    TOPS at Seward, an alternative program for grades K-8, preserved its historic exterior but was completely rebuilt inside at a cost of $20.4 million. Duarte Bryant Architecture designed the renovation, and ECI General Contractors did the construction.

    Though classes resume today, work is still underway in the library, gym, auditorium and playground areas at TOPS. All construction is expected to be complete by November.

    The remaining projects in the Seattle school system's building program will be finished by 2002.

    They involve renovation or new construction at the following school sites: Bryant; Coe; Concord; Dunlap; Emerson; Greenwood; the John Stanford International School at Latona; Madrona; and Stevens elementaries; the African American Academy; and West Seattle High School.