Machias and Riverview Elementary Schools Replacement

Machias Construction Progress

2010-07-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

With just over 5 months to go before school starts in the new building, the Machias Elementary School construction is progressing rapidly. The structural steel and glu-lam beam frames have been erected, concrete slabs for the 1st and 2nd floors have been poured and the interior wall framing is being installed, followed by sheetrock. Rough-in of electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire sprinkler piping is keeping pace with the rest of the construction.

Here are some photos:

Curved glu-lam columns from the old school building's Gym roof have been placed vertically as columns in the dramatic new design. This view is from the 2nd floor looking over what will be the library space, at the heart of the new school. the roof deck is in place, but the exterior wall sheathing has has not been installed yet.

A view from the exterior "porch", which has a deep overhang, looking toward the library structure. Administration offices are to the left.

This will be a covered outdoor area at a secondary entry point to the school near the Commons, looking toward the IDEA Lab (Interdisciplinary Educational Activities Lab), with a corridor and stair to the 2nd floor to the right.

With the exterior wall framing in place, views through the window openings can now be seen. The classroom wings are oriented toward the wooded areas of the site, with corner windows providing views of the greenery and dappled sunlight.

Another 2nd floor view shows the upper corridor between of the classroom wings and the Gym/Commons area. Windows and skylights will illuminate this space with daylight. The opening at the left is for a stair to the 1st floor.

Steps to access the front of the stage are hewn from the large salvaged glu-lam beams, a cost-effective reuse of existing material and a historical reference to the old school building. Not shown to the left of this photo is the ramp which provides another way to access the stage.

Looking at the building from the edge of the playfields provides a sense of scale. The covered play area is in the foreground on the right, at the end of the new Gym. In the background the structure of curved glu-lam beams is visible. The one-story Administration wing is at the far left.

Site Preparation Work is Underway

2009-08-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

Farewell to the old school buildings! The site preparation work is well underway at the Riverview and Machias sites.

The projects are moving forward on an accelerated schedule. The work is divided into 3 parts: Site Preparation, Steel Fabrication and then the Building Projects. This allows the preliminary work to be done while the County is reviewing the building permit submittals, saving time on the overall schedule.

Both projects are proceeding on schedule, with Construct Co. performing the site preparation work at Machias and Northwest Construction at Riverview.

The existing school buildings have been cleaned out and demolished, making way for the installation of utilities, grading and preparation of the building pad for the new buildings. The structural steel will bid in September, so that fabrication can begin early. The main Building Project contracts will bid and Contractors will be chosen before the end of this year, to be ready to start work in January.

Shown above is the new on-site water pipe being installed at Machias. Both sites require upgraded water service for building plumbing, fire sprinklers and fire hydrants.

Here's what the Riverview site looks like. To save cost and environmental impact, as many materials as possible are being reused or recycled. At both sites, contractors are creating separate piles containing:

- steel for recycling

- structural brick, concrete and asphalt to be crushed for reuse as a stable sub-base under paved areas

- wood glulam beams for reuse in the new buildings

Also, before the existing buildings were demolished, memorial elements and student art were removed and stored for future installation in the new buildings.

Snohomish County Tribune Article

2009-07-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

The Snohomish County Tribune features an article highlighting the energy-saving green designs for Machias and Riverview Elementary Schools, by Michael Whitney. Check it out HERE.

2009-06-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

We have updated the previously posted renderings to incoporate more subtle revisions suggested by the Design Committee, including accent colors. Click on the image below to see all of the current renderings for each school.

Machias Elementary - click the image

Riverview Elementary - click the image

Riverview Elementary Design Update

2009-05-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

Click on this image to see a PDF of new renderings of the Riverview Elementary design!

NAC Architecture incorporated suggestions from the Design Committee to create a warm, welcoming building design. The interior spaces are connected to the exterior with natural materials, transparency and light.

Please be sure to come to the Community Open House on Tuesday 5/26, 6:30 pm at Riverview Elementary. You will get a chance to review drawings, talk to the architects and other team members and learn more about the plans for the new school.

At the meeting yesterday, Design Committee members reviewed several options to make decisions on materials and colors. Samples were carefully reviewed in the daylight to make the best judgements.

Machias Design Update

2009-05-11T16:06:00.001-07:00

Click on this image to see a PDF of the latest design renderings for Machias Elementary School!

The updated Machias design was reviewed with the Design Committee on May 5th. It will be a great school with exciting spaces, lots of natural light and energy-saving features.

We're working hard on the design for Riverview Elementary, which we are scheduled to show the Design Committee on May 20th.

Riverview In-Class Lesson on Geothermal Heat Exchange

2009-05-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

On May 28th, Matt and Philip from NAC Architecture presented to a combined class of Miss Edgbert's and Mrs. Panko's 4th and 5th graders. The kids have been learning about alternative energy sources and this was a chance to discuss the major energy strategy for the new school: geothermal heat exchange.

It's not a simple system, so there was a lot to talk about. The students were very attentive, gave input and asked great questions. We also described other aspects of the new school and had a lively discussion. Thanks for letting us be a part of your classes!

Geothermal heat exchange is a very efficient way to heat and cool a building. It leverages the constant temperature underground (about 55 deg. F) and steps that temperature up or down as required, using compression and expansion. The heat exchange occurs via an array of pipes which loop 300' underground. This is a proven strategy that is increasingly being used for energy savings at schools throughout our state.

2009-02-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

Detailed Design Development drawings are in the following PDFs, in preparation for our meetings with staff on Tuesday 2/24. Each PDF file shows plans and elevations for the interiors of both Machias and Riverview:
- Overall Plans
- Grade 1-6 Classrooms and Extended Learning Areas
- Kindergarten Classrooms
- Interdisciplinary Learning Lab
- Commons, Gym, Music and Stage
- Staff Lunchroom and 2nd Floor Staff Workroom

For spaces not included here, we will bring drawings on Tuesday.

Machias Design Update

2009-02-03T10:18:00.001-08:00

Click on the image below to see a PDF of plans and renderings showing the updated design for Machias Elementary, presented to the Design Committee at their last meeting, which will be presented to the School Board tomorrow evening.

Also discussed at the last meeting were the core academic spaces of both projects, including classrooms and shared learning areas, reinforcing the Ed Spec goals of flexibility, transparency and daylighting.

News Update: The entire project team congratulates Shaunna Ballas, Ed Spec and Design Committee member, on being selected for a seat on the School Board of Directors!

Schematic Design

2009-01-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

We are almost at the end of the "Schematic Design" phase and the overall layout, program areas and site elements are set. This puts us on schedule for the upcoming Conditional Use Permit submittal to Snohomish County next week and to proceed with refinements to the design during the next phase, "Design Development."

Click on the images below to see the site plans, floor plans and perspective renderings for each school, which were presented, discussed and met with overall approval by the Design Committee on Tuesday.

Machias Elementary School, Schematic Design:

Riverview Elementary School, Schematic Design:

Final Predesign Scheme Selected for Each School

2008-11-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, the architects presented the final Predesign versions of the two selected schemes for each school site to the Ed Spec Committee. The schemes had been further refined based on input from the committee and site requirements.

The Ed Spec Committee unanimously chose the "Elemental Flow" scheme for Riverview and the"Nature Path" scheme for Machias. Click on the images below for a PDF of the revised scheme for each option:

Riverview Elementary School Selected Scheme: "Elemental Flow":

Machias Elementary School Selected Scheme: "Nature Path":

On Wednesday 11/5/08, the architects and Ed Spec Committee presented these selected schemes to the School Board and explained the committee's process.

October 22nd Meeting Notes

2008-11-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

Meeting notes from the Ed Spec Committee Meeting on October 22nd are available here. At this meeting, 3 revised schemes were presented for each school. The committee deliberated and chose the 2 schemes for each school (shown below) for further refinement. At the next meeting, these selected schemes will be re-presented for a final scheme decision.

Site Layout Options

2008-10-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Ed Spec Committee has reviewed various layout options for each site as presented by NAC Architecture. After receiving input from the committee, the architects revised the schemes and re-presented them for further comment. The committee has identified the two preferred options for each school: the "Schoolstead" and "Nature Connection" schemes for Machias and the "3 Parks" and "Elemental Flow" schemes for Riverview.

The architects are currently refining these 4 schemes, based on additional input from the committee at their last meeting. The final stage of the Predesign phase will be the selection of one scheme for each site and presentation to the School Board on November 5th. Then during the Schematic Design Phase, the selected scheme for each site will receive further input and refinement.

Click on the images below for a PDF of each option, including relevant points for each option and diagrammatic plans for the 1st and 2nd floors:

Machias Elementary School Option: "Schoolstead"

Machias Elementary School Option: "Nature Connection"

Riverview Elementary School Option: "3 Parks"

Riverview Elementary School Option: "Elemental Flow"

Please feel free to post comments regarding any of these options.

Riverview Community Meeting

2008-10-08T15:43:00.000-07:00

Last night a Community Meeting was held at the Riverview Elementary School Library to gather public input on the project. About 30 people attended, representing a vibrant mix of neighbors, parents, teachers, staff and project team members.

You can read notes from the meeting here.

Project Schedule

2008-10-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Ed Spec Committee has agreed to target an accelerated schedule, which will enable the new schools be complete and moved into the new buildings in January 2011 (instead of August 2011). The accelerated schedule also benefits the Valley View Middle School project, by allowing the middle school to occupy the interim site earlier, which will save on projected construction cost escalation. Students and staff from both Machias and Riverview are scheduled to occupy the interim site for a year and a half, from the end of school in June 2009 until school resumes at the end of Winter Break in January 2011.

The targeted schedule is shown below. If the committee feels that the quality of the final school projects may be compromised due to the acceleration, the schedule will revert to the longer duration. It is understood that factors outside of the project team's control (permitting times, weather, etc.) may also impact the schedule, pushing the move-in date back to Summer 2011.

Here is the draft schedule in graphic format (click to enlarge):

Drainage Field Locations

2008-09-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

One of the items that will require planning as we move forward is the drainage field at each site. We will study reusing the existing drain fields or relocating them to accommodate the best location for the building at each school.

A surveyor will determine the actual existing locations, but below are aerial photos showing their approximate locations.

School Tour Notes

2008-08-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

Konnie Surmann, Program Manger from Heery Int'l, wrote up notes of the Ed Spec Committee's reactions to the various schools on the 8/20/08 Schools Tour, available here.

Tour of Recent Schools by Educational Specs Committee

2008-08-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the Educational Specifications Committee (consisting of staff, teachers and parents from Machias & Riverview Elementary Schools) toured four elementary school projects in the area, along with representatives of NAC Architecture and Heery Int'l.:

- Ben Franklin Elementary School, Kirkland

- Lakeview Elementary School, Kirkland

- Woodridge Elementary School, Bellevue

- Rosa Parks Elementary School, Redmond

These tours allowed committee members to see additional schools, further increasing the variety of projects they have to consider and discuss in planning the new projects. The committee has previously toured Phantom Lake Elementary School in Bellevue, Forest View Elementary School in Everett and Little Cedars Elementary School in Snohomish.

Visiting the schools, including the discussions that occurred on the yellow school bus between school tours, was a productive way to advance the dialogue between the committee and the project team about the goals and possibilities outlined in the draft Ed Spec.

2008-08-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

8/20/08 School Tour Information and Reference Reading Material (42 mb PDF file)

Minutes - Educational Specifications Review Meeting

2008-08-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

Meeting Minutes: Educational Specifications Review Meeting, 8/7/08

Welcome!

2008-08-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the project blog for the Machias Elementary School Replacement and Riverview Elementary School Replacement project in the Snohomish School District. This page is intended to be a forum for the project team to communicate with the public, and vice versa. In an effort to maintain a transparent and open process, we will post information as it becomes available. Please note that this is a work in progress, so posted information is subject to change.

Firstly, we would like to extend thanks to Snohomish voters, whose support of the bond measure has made these projects possible. Information about the bond is available here.

We are currently in the Pre-Design Phase of the project development process. The planning work of the Citizens Advisory Committee (report available here) has established recommended total project budgets of $39M for each school. The report lists the committee members and outlines the bond planning process, including substantial public input.

The Snohomish School District has interviewed consultants for the project and has selected NAC Architecture as the Architect and Heery International as Project Manager for these two projects. Both schools will be planned together and will have the same program elements and facilities, but they will not look the same and will be specific to their site and surroundings.

Thank you for your interest in Machias and Riverview Elementary Schools. As planners of public schools, we look forward to gathering and using the public input that will help make each of these schools a special place in its community.