McElwain Elementary

Submitted by Hutton Ford Architects PC

McElwain Elementary is the oldest operating school in the Adams Twelve Five Star School District. The original building dates back to 1957 and the two additions to 1961 and 1987.

The three structures looked and functioned independently of each other, connected only by a sloping breezeway corridor. The older portions primarily contained educational spaces while the 1980's addition housed the support functions such as the gym, library and administrative spaces.

Neither portion met the district's current educational specifications, let alone its operations and maintenance requirements for building design. However, the existing buildings and the utilities represented an enormous social and financial investment and could not be disposed of without careful consideration of the alternatives.

An in-depth facility evaluation report was prepared, which concluded that site redevelopment should include the 1987 wing but remove the original 1957 and 1961 structures.

The report also ordered that all demolition, addition and renovation work had to occur without disrupting educational functions.

The project was subdivided into five different phases over one school year and two summers. The scope included 21,000 sq ft of renovation and 38,000 sq ft of additions.
Critical to the success of the renovation project was the architect's willingness to work with the functional and stylistic components of the original building because an imposition of totally new forms would have yielded unsatisfactory results as evidenced in the 1957, 1961 and 1987 sections of the school. Sensitivity to the original structure's design included consideration of existing materials, window patterns and circulation paths. Essentially, the design team attempted to place itself in the mindset of the original designer, with the full range of modern materials and techniques available.

Project Team

Owner: Adams Twelve Five Star Schools
Architects: Hutton Ford Architects and Design Concepts
Design Team: R & R Engineers-Surveyors Inc., Monroe & Newell Engineers Inc., BCER Engineering Inc., MKK Consulting Engineers Inc.,
General Contractor: JHL Constructors Inc.
Major Subs: Best Electric Service Inc., B.G. Concrete Co. Inc., Douglass Roofing, Eatherton Masonry Inc., Kimmel Mechanical Inc.

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