Charter schools are amazingly resourceful; they’ll ferret out a bruised gem of a building and then do what’s necessary to suit their students. It’s not perfect, but it works. Our job with KIPP was to bring their existing facility closer to perfect.
Project Highlights
Typologies: Education - Interior Remodel - Renovation
Size: 60,000 sq. ft.
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Timeline: Completed 2020
Project Collaborators
RJM Construction (General Contractor)
TenSquare Charter School Support (Owner’s Representative)
A Real Class Act
KIPP’s building was originally an elementary school built in the 1950s. Its spaces had since become outdated and dilapidated from decades of deferred maintenance. The cafeteria was so undersized many students ate their lunch in the gym. Some teachers had to office out of mechanical rooms. Cracked windows and crumbling brick were almost normal. It had become a place that no longer offered students the dignity they deserved.
On top of these existing issues, the school was expanding and needed more space. We were able to stretch their budget to cover both a comprehensive interior remodel including a gym makeover as well as a new addition with more classroom and office space to meet their growing demands.
The comfort and welfare of teachers is also paramount. By strategically repositioning a few secondary spaces, we were able to provide a dedicated breakroom. By repurposing under-utilized rooms, like Eisenhower-era kiddie toilets, and juggling Tetris-like a multitude of spaces, we got all teachers out of mechanical rooms and in to refurbished, dedicated office space.
