H.D. Cooke Elementary School, in the Adams Morgan section of Washington, DC, is at the beginning of an 18-month modernization project that will totally transform the historic school, just in time to reopen on its 100th birthday in Summer 2009. In 1999 the school was awarded the dubious distinction of Worst Elementary School Facility out of 105 elementary schools in the DC Public Schools system. Modernization was supposed to start in 2003, but problems within the old DCPS system and the DC Government delayed the project. The original modernization architects literally left town a few years ago, and a new team consisting of Quinn Evans Architects and Gilbane Construction Management took over in 2007. The good news is that Quinn Evans and Gilbane are a proven team and one of the best at school renovation.
Quinn Evans specializes in 'Sustainable Preservation'; that is,
taking a sound historic building, upgrading the structure and the mechanical systems (heating/cooling, electric, water, communications) to create a healthy, energy-efficient, environment-friendly place for teachers to teach and children to learn.
More good news is that the new DC City Administration headed by Mayor Adrian Fenty, new Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and the new DC Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization, with Allen Lew as Director, have committed to building and renovating schools to meet the requirements of the US Green Building Council's 'LEED-Schools' rating system, with a minimum rating of 'LEED-Schools Silver'. This means that the modernized schools will achieve very good air quality, lighting and acoustics, energy efficiency and water conservation, as well as recycling facilities and other environmentally-responsible 'green' features.
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