Can this school be saved? As schools age, administrators face two options: Raze and replace or renovate and restore. Here's why fixing the old may beat building anew.

Can this school be saved? As schools age, administrators face two options: Raze and replace or renovate and restore. Here's why fixing the old may beat building anew. With a run down, antiquated school building that's poorly built (not to mention architecturally uninteresting (jargon) uninteresting - 1. Said of a problem that, although nontrivial, can be solved simply by throwing sufficient resources at it.2. Also said of problems for which a solution would neither advance the state of the art nor be fun to design and code. ), the problems are obvious. There are the health and safety factors, and then there are comfort concerns. Managing today's technology and security needs also becomes a challenge with old schools. In many districts across the country, the solution seems cut-and-dried. It's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a to build a new school. Even communities that value older buildings sometimes conclude it doesn't make sense to renovate. Take San Antonio Independent School District San Antonio Independent School District is a school district based in San Antonio, Texas (USA).San Antonio ISD is one of 15 school districts serving San Antonio. San Antonio ISD serves the downtown and inner city areas of San Antonio. , for instance. Despite being known for its rich history and dedication to saving historic schools, it decided in 1996 to replace 10 of its 94 schools. "Facilities that weren't historically or architecturally significant or [that] had big structural problems and were unsafe were on the replacement list," explains Kamal ElHabr, associate superintendent for facilities. After all, some buildings just become too dilapidated and are too costly to renovate. "On the other hand, buildings that are significant but had no major issues became historic renovations," he says. At first look, logic may call for any district to seek a fresh site and then build a more modern facility to accommodate today's technology and curricular requirements and to comply with ADA Ada, city, United StatesAda(ā`ə), city (1990 pop. 15,820), seat of Pontotoc co., S central Okla.; inc. 1904. It is a large cattle market and the center of a rich oil and ranch area. codes. What better way to renew excitement in the possibilities of education today than to bring a new school into the community? Square footage also steps in at decision-making time. "If you simply don't have space [in an existing school] to accommodate [an] increase in students, it might make sense to build new," notes Mark Gilberg, research and development manager for the Council of Educational Facilities Planners International. Unfortunately, says Royce Yeater, midwest director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation Historic preservation is the act of maintaining and repairing existing historic materials and the retention of a property's form as it has evolved over time. When considering the United States Department of Interior's interpretation: "Preservation calls for the existing form, , there is a tendency by some school boards to look at older schools that could be saved as being too outdated and derelict derelictn. something or someone who is abandoned, such as a ship left to drift at sea or a homeless person ignored by family and society.(See: abandon, dereliction) DERELICT, common law. . "The truth is that in numerous cases, older school buildings can be renovated to 21st century standards with everything we'd expect in a new school," he says. Renovation Rationale The popular decision to tear down to demolish violently; to pull or pluck down.- Shak.See also: Tear and try again, of course, isn't being made everywhere. Following are seven good reasons districts should consider renovating an old school: 1. Education's mission and historic preservation click. "Preserving an historic school sends a clear message to students. We want kids to understand the importance of recycling, and we want to give our children an understanding of continuity. Tearing down an older building and throwing it away isn't a message we want to send," Yeater explains. "Take a look at what education really is. It's not a transfer of information. It's the creation of citizens, making them viable community members," says Clyde Henry, principal of Triad Architects in Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital and the largest city of the American state of Ohio. Named for explorer Christopher Columbus, the city was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, and assumed the functions of state capital in 1816. . You can't save an old building if keeping it is going to harm students or be detrimental to education, he adds. However, one way to transform students into citizens, Henry argues, is to teach them to appreciate history, landmarks, continuity, cooperation and a sense of the past, present and future. 2. Preservation projects bring history to life. "Students can better understand historic events like racial integration when they imagine them occurring down the hall," Henry says. "The building actually becomes a teaching tool." The building renovation process itself can be a great lime for students to learn about their school's history and re-discover the structure's mythologies. During the interior restoration of Greenfield (Ohio) Exempted Village Schools' Edward Lee There is more than one person with the name Edward Lee listed in Wikipedia. Edward Lee (born 1957), an American horror writer. Edward Lee (1482–1544), Archbishop of York, 1531–1544 McClain High School, hard hat-equipped students gathered all the trash from behind the decades-old lockers being removed. "Like good archeologists, they documented every [item] and tried to place what year it was [from]," Henry explains. Through old notes--some dating from the 1920s--students discovered that, while their predecessors may have used slightly different language, they were dealing with familiar teen issues. Suddenly, it became clear that "the world was not much different 70 years ago as it is today. Students documented their findings and [that record] became the school's treasure," Henry says. 3. The building has high sentimental value sentimental valueNounthe value of an article to a particular person because of the emotions it arouses . Older neighborhood schools, typically built as the center of their communities and within walking distance for many students, are packed with meaning and memories for town residents. And these profound community ties to schools prove to be quite a force in tug-of-war decisions to raze razealso rase ?tr.v. razed also rased, raz��ing also ras��ing, raz��es also ras��es1. To level to the ground; demolish. See Synonyms at ruin.2. To scrape or shave off.3. or replace. One example is Seattle's Greenwood Elementary School Greenwood Elementary is a public elementary school in Greenwood, British Columbia part of School District 51 Boundary. , circa circaprep. Abbr. caIn approximately; about. 1909. The city's 1995 bond issue slated the school for replacement. But the school board heard community members' cry loud and clear--the building was important to its neighborhood. So Burr burr(bur) bur. burrn.Variant of bur.burr1. a plant seed capsule carrying many hooked structures which catch in animal coats thus promoting dissemination of the plant. Lawrence Rising + Bates Bates? , Katherine Lee 1859-1929.American educator and writer best known for her poem "America the Beautiful," written in 1893 and revised in 1904 and 1911. Architects, which serves the Pacific Northwest and had worked with the district before, facilitated a community thrum thrum?1?v. thrummed, thrum��ming, thrumsv.tr.1. Music To play (a stringed instrument) idly or monotonously: thrummed a guitar.2. to explore the options. The vast majority of local citizens showed up in favor of renovation. As a result, most of the building was saved, and an addition provided needed classroom space and a gym. In the experience of John Vacchiery, the district's director of facilities planning and enrollment, people in the surrounding community are typically those most interested in saving the school. Educators, on the other hand, often need some convincing. "When you save an older school with its history and culture, at the same time you tend to have to make some compromises in the educational program because you don't have complete freedom on how you lay out all the classrooms," he says. For example, the small schools concept requires intimate, separated class spaces, and a school wanting to offer seminar-type courses would need very large classrooms. 4. Tearing down may be against policy-or against the law. In countless communities across the country, buildings actually have rights. If a school has been declared a landmark or significant historic structure, the district would first have to get official clearance before going ahead with any construction efforts that would alter the building. Associate Superintendent ElHabr of San Antonio San Antonio(săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. notes that, as a result of the city's penchant for preserving its historic structures, any demolition plans must first go through an historic review board. The story is the same in Seattle; although the city is relatively new, a large number of its buildings have received landmark status. Chicago and a few other large school districts have set their own "renovate first policies. And several states are proactive in encouraging districts to consider renovating their schools instead of building new ones. Maryland's Smart Growth Policy, for one, requires school districts to maintain already-built facilities funded by tax-payers and to minimize urban sprawl fueled by building schools in undeveloped areas. There, about 80 percent of all state school construction funds in the past few years have gone into renovating, rather than creating new facilities, according to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. a 2003 National Trust for Historic Preservation report. 5. Renovation can retain unique architectural elements--which lend a one-of-a-kind character to the school, With today's budgets, district leaders can't expect to replicate the quality of the architecture and school spaces that were constructed decades ago, says Tom Bates Tom Bates (born February 9, 1938) is a California politician, currently serving as the Mayor of Berkeley, California.He is married to Loni Hancock, a former mayor of Berkeley who currently represents the 14th District in the California State Assembly. , principal of BLRB BLRB Black Liquor Recovery Boiler (paper-manufacturing industry). "The craftsmen are no longer around to do the kind of work we see in schools designed and built at the turn of the century, fur instance. In the older buildings, you gain certain architectural qualities that you just don't get in new schools, like beautiful daylight, high ceilings and durable, timeless materials we can't afford to build with in today's school market." To Greenfield, Ohio Greenfield is a city in Highland County, Ohio, United States, along Paint Creek. The population was 4,906 at the 2000 census. GeographyGreenfield is located at (39.351623, -83.386461)GR1. , the campus of the schools themselves is a community treasure. Entrepreneur Edward Lee McClain built the high school, which was completed in 1917, as a gift to the community. Today, each of the district's five schools is in the center of town, arranged similarly to a college campus. As for architectural elements, McClain's double marble staircase and front lobby stand out. The area is not used by students at all during their school years; at graduation, they walk down the steps for the first time. Adding to school pride are three original murals by famed artist Vesper Lincoln George on display, as well as more than 100 other pieces of sculpture and paintings. The auditorium has a pipe organ and there are Tiffany lamps A Tiffany lamp is a type of lamp with a stained glass shade. The pieces of stained glass that comprise a Tiffany shade are soldered together with copper foil. Original Tiffany lamps are generally considered part of the Art Nouveau movement, and are considered one of the best in the gymnasium gymnasiumIn Germany, a state-maintained secondary school that prepares pupils for higher academic education. This type of nine-year school originated in Strasbourg in 1537. . Superintendent Sue Frizell Zint says the marble staircase and artwork aren't roped off or in any way physically guarded from the 600 high school students. "The children respect our traditions," Zint says. "There is a pride and sense of tradition here you'll find in no other school because of the historical aspect." 6. Saving an old school might just save money. Renovations typically cost no more--and usually wind up costing less-than a new building, claim NTHP's Yeater and others. "And one doesn't have to go and find a new site." "Renovating an existing structure may cost in the neighborhood of $60 to $70 per square foot, while demolishing and replacing it puts you up in the $110-plus per square foot range," says San Antonio's ElHabr. Consider the price tag on tag onVerbto add at the end of something: a throwaway remark, tagged on at the end of a casual conversationVerb 1. a 1997 renovation of a school in his district, originally built in 1907 and named Fannin Elementary School elementary school:see school. . Upon the project's completion, the school was re-named Dorothy C. Pickett Academy, alter a long-time teacher in the district. Richard Morales Richard Javier Morales Aguirre (nickname El Chengue) (born February 21, 1975 in Montevideo) is a Uruguayan international footballer.He transferred to M��laga CF in the summer after spending three seasons at CA Osasuna. of the local Chesney Morales & Associates, Architects/Planners designed 12 classrooms, bathrooms, a library, a serving kitchen and a stage within the old structure. The firm also restored the original front porch and replaced some of the windows. "The entire renovation cost only $2.4 million," Morales explains. "To replace a school of that size would have cost many millions of dollars." In all, the school has 23,039 square feet of gross total area, including the basement, the first floor with addition and the second floor. 7. A phased renovation is the only financial option. In the business of school construction, one given is that you can't send students to a new school that's half built. Administrators in the Ste. Genevieve Ste. Genevieve can refer to: Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris Ste. Genevieve, Missouri Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri (Mo.) R-II School District know this reality all too well. In the mid-1990s, the time had come for renovation of two of the district's four schools. Not interested in building new, the historically minded community was determined to create great educational facilities out of its outdated structures. The plan: Restore the 1931 junior high school to its original splendor SplendorAladdin’s palacebuilt of marble, gold, silver, and jewels. [Arab. Lit.: Arabian Nights]Alhambrathe palatial 13th-century Moorish citadel in Granada, noted for its lofty situation, beautiful courts, and fountains. and connect it to the high school, located just 400 feet away, When the original bond issue for $7 million failed, architect David Kromm, president of St. Louis-based Kromm, Rikimaru & Johansen, and district representatives decided to do the project in phases in order to save the original building. "The town voted [for] one tax increase and then there were no tax increases thereafter," Kromm explains. "We built in four separate phases and were able to accomplish the same program for less tax money because we were able to spread it out over several years. The project--which includes a library that serves both buildings, a top level for the middle school and a lower level for the high school--is now complete. For other districts that are facing the complex save-or-replace decision, Kromm's advice is simple. Understand the potential of what already exists, he says. "Do things in bite-sized chunks and do practical things to preserve the life of the buildings." Worth Saving Or Not To remodel re��mod��el?tr.v. re��mod��eled also re��mod��elled, re��mod��el��ing also re��mod��el��ling, re��mod��els also re��mod��elsTo make over in structure or style; reconstruct. or to rebuild? That is the question facing districts when schools age. Factors to consider are the practical, financial, emotional, logistical and, of course, educational impacts of either choice. Here's some guidance. * First, perform a feasibility study "A Feasibility Study" is an episode of the original The Outer Limits television show. It first aired on 13 April, 1964, during the first season. It was remade in 1997 as part of the revived The Outer Limits series with a minor title change. The National Trust tar Historic Preservation offers an online guide that covers hiring consultants, meeting building codes and other factors that could potentially influence the ultimate decision. www.nationaltrust.org/issues/schools/school_feasibility_study.pdf * Determine how each option would play out in the long run, including how it would affect students and parents Would building a new school several miles from the center of town force hundreds of children to ride a bus to and from school, while restoring a centralized cen��tral��ize?v. cen��tral��ized, cen��tral��iz��ing, cen��tral��iz��esv.tr.1. To draw into or toward a center; consolidate.2. neighborhood school could allow many children to walk as previous students did (uphill both ways, of course)? * Work the numbers Figure out the cost per square foot for both a careful, quality renovation and for constructing a new school. Could state funding provide a substantial portion of money for either a new construction or renovation effort? In Washington, for example, districts receive matching dollars to contribute to constructing K-12 facilities. A new building effort provides 100 percent of the matching dollars, while historic renovation grants only 80 percent. "Remodeled projects should be less expensive because you have an existing structure, but it doesn't necessarily apply to historic preservation renovation projects, which are inherently more expensive because they may involve costly restoration of masonry and terra See tera. cotta cot��ta?n. pl. cot��tae or cot��tasA short surplice.[Medieval Latin, of Germanic origin.] , for instance," says architect Tom Bates of Burr Lawrence Rising + Bates. "It's not necessarily automatically less expensive than a new building." * Verify the school's status-it may be a protected landmark building. If the building has been designated a landmark by a federal, state or local agency. there might be restrictions on how you can or can't physically alter it. * Take your district's educational approach into account. If you're concentrating on a small learning communities concept, then a smaller, older school might fit well into your plan. If an older school has limited auditorium space and you'd like to concentrate on performing arts, then a new school might make more sense. * Consider a hybrid-type project, which could preserve the significant part of a school A building addition could include any facilities the older school lacks. John Vacchiery, director of facilities planning and enrollment for Seattle Public Schools Seattle Public Schools refers to the school district of Seattle, Washington, USA. It is the largest public school district in Washington, and the 44th largest in the United States, with 47,449 students in 2002. , says the district has saved historic sections or key elements of landmark school Landmark School located at 412 Hale St. Beverly, Massachusetts is an American school for children with language-based learning disabilities such as dyslexia. External linksLandmark School Website buildings and done compatible additions along with the renovation. * Above all, listen to the community Take the pulse of people living in the area to find out how they feel about a new school or about fixing up a treasured old facility. Parting Words The decision's been made. It's in the best interests of the district and students to demolish de��mol��ish?tr.v. de��mol��ished, de��mol��ish��ing, de��mol��ish��es1. To tear down completely; raze.2. To do away with completely; put an end to.3. or abandon a treasured old school. Just don't underestimate the power of giving the community a chance to say goodbye. For students at Monroe (Ohio) High School, which closed its doors this spring, coming up with those parting words was a year-long endeavor. To honor the 133-year-old building, students produced a documentary of the school's history under the direction of teacher Tom Burklow, who incorporated the project into his multimedia class. "Kids can understand the history of the school instead of hearing about it, because they are walking down the same hallways that are in the photographs in old yearbooks," Burklow says. When Class of 1954 alumni were in for their 50th anniversary, current students coordinated and conducted interviews and put together a segment that was incorporated into the final video. One student spent the entire school year working on an overview of sports history in the district, which included interviewing a woman who had played basketball before graduating from the school in 1928. "She had original pictures of the team and now she's in one of the final segments of the production," Burklow says. After the school moves into its new building across town, he explains, "We will make the final product part of the transition and distribute copies to the community. The whole idea is to give something tangible back to the community." Peggy Bresnick Kendler is a freelance writer based in Monroe, Conn., who covers construction topics frequently.