A Hazen High School renovation proposal will connect the school’s buildings with a beautiful new courtyard and indoor hallways.
“I think this is really going to improve the aesthetics of the school,” said project manager Stewart Shusterman.
Breaking ground July 2010, the two-story, 12-classroom addition will accompany various renovations in existing buildings.
Currently the space includes uneven ground, a flat gym wall and two double-wide portable classrooms.
“It’s not much to look at,” Shusterman said, adding that the new building will reduce exterior entrances, increasing security.
The trailers are the only classrooms that will be removed. The 28,000-square-foot addition will provide space for hundreds of new students.
“This was also for projected enrollment as it increases in the future,” said Rick Stracke, executive director of facilities and operations for the Renton School District.
The money for the project comes from a $150 million taxpayer-approved bond. The total cost is about $14 million, including furniture, equipment and consulting costs.
“This wouldn’t have happened if they (Renton) hadn’t supported this,” Stracke said.
The district hopes to have the addition and remodel completed by fall 2011.
Two of the 12 new classrooms are science labs. Each has a normal desk arrangement for lectures, but work-station countertops jut out from walls for students to experiment in groups.
Most of the school’s labs are also to be remodeled with new wiring, data hookups, fume hoods and cabinetry, Stracke said.
Instead of creating a social commons, the district decided on a learning commons, which features some booth seating, high ceilings and views of the courtyard.
“It’s designed to be equally appealing to the students, but available before and after school for learning,” Shusterman said. “It will also be available for the community to use.”
The courtyard is meant to be a gathering place, and the district is hoping to install some type of stage area.
Electrical outlets for sound equipment will be installed in the courtyard for plays and concerts.
“Teachers can even take kids out there to have regular instruction,” Stracke said.
A drain from the roof will bring water to the fountain. As water cascades through the fountain’s rocks and sand, the water is naturally filtered. Then the water seeps into the ground, preventing runoff.
“It’s completely green,” Stracke said. “We’re using the courtyard to recycle stormwater that comes off the building.”
The courtyard’s pervious paving will also help reduce storm water runoff.
The new addition will also include more natural lighting and a reflective roof to save energy costs. There will also be heat recovery from the science fume hoods.
The addition is two stories. Only one of the two wings will have a second floor. However, the one-story wing will be able to support a second story addition in future remodels.
An elevator is in the plans, which will provide handicap access to the school’s entire second story, Shusterman said.
Locker room and auxiliary gym improvements are also included, and numerous classrooms will be reconfigured.
The school’s large room, which offers a stage and is split by a retractable wall, will be remodeled into two classrooms.
Starting about July 2010, much of the renovation will be completed during summer months. Construction of the addition is scheduled to be complete fall 2011.
