This assignment presented a unique opportunity to create a modern learning environment responding to both local and state education goals while accommodating community desire to renovate the school on its original site rather than develop a new campus. A compact site housing 26 existing academic buildings added to the challenge.

A conditions assessment analyzed existing structures and mechanical and electrical systems to determine whether the buildings were salvageable for remodeling, or whether they had to be completely demolished and rebuilt.

The analysis process revealed severe structural deterioration, asbestos, poor roof conditions, inadequate classroom space, deficient wiring, and insufficient mechanical equipment to provide proper air quality.

Recommendations included extensive renovation of selected buildings and the removal of 13 existing structures, to be replaced with four new ones providing 195,000 square feet of new classrooms.

This concentration of new built space allowed for maximum site utilization, future expansion, increased parking, and larger recreational areas, including an outside amphitheater, plazas, and courtyards.

Landscaped courtyards serve as central meeting places for students. For the renovated structures requiring new roofs, a light-gauge metal framing and a metal roofing system were used to match the roof architecture of the new buildings.

Improvements went beyond "brick and mortar" construction. Cost-effective retrofit solutions were included to provide integrated telecommunication systems. This campus has been fully equipped to integrate telephone, intercom, television, media retrieval, computer network, fire alarm, security and HVAC controls to form a series of parallel paths of communication.