Lincoln, Washington elementary school projects to begin next spring

June 25--WENATCHEE -- Architects ran through designs for construction projects at Abraham Lincoln Elementary and Washington Elementary schools during a public forum and Wenatchee School District workshop Tuesday night.

A few parents and local residents showed up to hear the plans and were most concerned about parking, school crossing safety and playground preservation at Washington Elementary.

The information was mainly directed to the school board as an update after two years of pre-planning and then serious design since last February when district voters approved a $66.5 million bond that will fund projects at five district school sites.

Work on Lincoln and Washington as well as the district's Special Education and Early Childhood Learning Center on the Washington Elementary grounds is set to begin next spring and be completed fall 2016 for Lincoln and later that year at Washington. Smaller projects at Mission View Elementary School and Pioneer Middle School have already started and will continue this summer.

Lincoln Elementary will get a new wing of classrooms -- 28,500 square feet of new space -- and a remodel of classrooms with new windows and doors and updated mechanical, electrical, security and technology systems, said Mikael Hancock, an architect for Forte Architects. The school will also get a new full-size gym, office areas and a wider hallway for better student circulation. The extra wing will replace five portable classrooms that have been used for years to handle increased student population.

Parking and student dropoff and pickup areas will also be improved for greater safety, Hancock said.

At Washington, a new school will be built on what is now a large grassy playground along Washington Street. A two-story configuration takes advantage of the sloping land contour, said Brian Fitzgerald, principal for TCF Architecture, which is designing the Washington and Early Childhood Learning projects. Fitzgerald said his team and school officials went over several design ideas before choosing the one they think offers the best alternatives for student safety, efficient use of space and more parking to get cars off residential streets.

The old elementary school will be demolished to make room for the parking area at what will be the school's main entrance. The new parking area will also better serve the Early Learning Center, which will be remodeled at the same time the new Washington Elementary is being constructed, he said. The school will also get a real cafeteria. Students now pickup their lunch and overcrowded halls and eat in their classrooms, said Keith Collins, Washington's principal.

Most Washington Elementary students walk or bike to school, so project designers are looking closely at what can be done to improve pedestrian safety, said Bryan Visscher, the district's director of facilities and risk management. He planned to meet with city of Wenatchee traffic officials this week to discuss crosswalk and possibly traffic light options for Washington Street, Visscher said.

Rick Steigmeyer, 664-7151

[email protected]

Reach Rick Steigmeyer at 509-664-7151 or [email protected]. Read his blog Winemaker's Journal or follow him on Twitter at @steigmeyerww.

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