Grant Wood Elementary School Construction Underway

Grant Wood ElementaryConstruction has begun on Grant Wood Elementary School, which will replace a 57-year-old facility of the same name. The old Grant Wood was dark and operationally inefficient, plus it had severe space shortages that restricted the curriculum and limited community use.

The 62,500-square-foot replacement school is nearly 70 percent larger than the previous facility. It allows an increase from two to three sections and is designed to hold 450+ students (100 more than the old school).

Designed by Legat Architects and to be built by Estes Construction, the new Grant Wood incorporates 21st-century learning concepts into a more traditional school design. Among its features are multipurpose areas, an “Innovation Spine,” a 3,100-square foot student commons, and an energy-efficient HVAC system.

“The design of the new elementary school provides much-needed improvements in learning areas for all students,” said John Cain, principal of Grant Wood. “Classrooms are significantly larger, breakout areas are located throughout the building and large areas have been designed for small group work as well as adult learning.”

Construction started in July, 2017. The school will open in August, 2018 and the project will be completed in November, 2018. The new school is getting built behind the old school. When construction finishes, the old school will be demolished for adequate parking and green space.

The glass Innovation Spine, located at the heart of the school, separates the grades 1-5 and PK-K wings and fills the corridor with natural light. Spaces within the spine include the commons, cafeteria, learning stair, library, and a STEM makerspace.

The learning stair (off the entry) welcomes spontaneous gathering and presentations, and leads to the lower level commons/cafeteria. The first floor makerspace supports robot building, hands-on science, and learning through discovery. It offers work areas with device plug-in, markerboard tables, and writeable wall space.

The combined cafeteria/gymnasium in the old school created scheduling conflicts and restricted community use. The new Grant Wood has a separate cafeteria and a gym nearly twice as large as the old one. This not only expands the PE program, but also welcomes community recreation programs.

The Legat design team is exploring ways to integrate the work of the school’s namesake, an Iowa native and a renowned artist, into the project. Ideas include using the color palette of his paintings and adding digitized versions of his paintings as a layer to glass and wall surfaces.

Cain says, “The new Grant Wood will stand as a flexible community resource with collaboration and discovery at its core.”

Featured

  • Allegion US Partners with Two Colleges for Mobile Credential Technology

    Allegion US recently announced a partnership with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and Denison College, in conjunction with Transact + CBORD, to install mobile credential technologies campus-wide, according to a news release. Implementing Mobile Student ID into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet will allow students access to campus facilities, amenities, and residence halls using just their phones.

  • AP Construction Breaks Ground on Two Projects for Austin ISD

    Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) recently announced that it has broken ground on two renovation projects for the Austin Independent School District, according to a news release. The work at McCallum and Anderson High Schools totals 97,350 square feet and is scheduled for completion in January 2027.

  • Design Firm Populous Acquires Fentress Architects

    Design firm Populous, which specializes in sports and entertainment venues, recently announced its acquisition of Fentress Architects, based in Denver, Colo., according to a news release. Fentress’ primary focus is aviation projects and public buildings like museums, convention centers, and government facilities

  • New Kent State Academic Building Earns LEED Silver Certification

    Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, recently announced that its newest academic building, Crawford Hall, has earned a LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The facility was recognized for its innovative design, water conservation technologies, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable construction materials, among other features.

Digital Edition