Capital Projects

The capital projects supported by the Campaign are structured in two phases:

Phase I, completed in September 2006, resulted in a complete transformation of the School’s building at 262 Grand Avenue from an underutilized, deteriorating former office building into a modern and spacious Middle School facility designed for the educational needs of young adolescents. The new four story building houses all core and specialty classrooms and features a fully equipped library, computer center, and music room. Phase I also included structural and seismic upgrades at the Lower School at 116 Montecito Avenue.

The core projects of Phase II include a new Lower School library in the historic Casa Romana, a Kindergarten and First Grade Learning Center, and a gymnasium, the first such facility in the School’s history:

Lower School Library

The new Lower School library will be located in the main hall of the Casa, the School’s historically significant Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival building dating to the 1920s. Before its acquisition by the School, at one time, the Casa served as the Oakland Women’s Club. The new Lower School library will complete a modern, integrated library system for the School, with the Middle and Lower School libraries linked electronically, providing ready access to catalogs, collections, and retrieval/transfer of materials.

Kindergarten and First Grade Learning Center

The new Kindergarten through First Grade Learning Center will include six new spacious classrooms designed for age-appropriate play and instruction and to foster collaborations among the primary grade teachers. While providing a much improved, discrete educational environment for our youngest students, the new Learning Center also allows the School to improve educational spaces at the 116 Montecito building, supporting small-group and individualized instruction for all grade levels.

Gymnasium

Designed for multi-purpose use in addition to physical education instruction, the new facility will be used by the entire School community and significantly enhance recreation and inter-school athletic programs. For the first time, the School will be able to host after-school sports competitions and league championships. The facility will also house Physical Education offices, storage, and restrooms.

Other Projects

The School’s Master Facilities Plan, completed in 2002, includes transforming the front section of the Casa into the main School entrance, and connecting the Casa with the Lower School classroom building at 116 Montecito with a covered walkway. Plans also include a rooftop play area on the gymnasium building, with all-weather artificial turf, hardscape, and other amenities. In addition to serving as a greenbelt for the campus, the rooftop play area is intended for concurrent use by multiple groups.

Other projects include continued upgrades to Lower School classrooms and other spaces in the 116 Montecito building. Potential remodels include creating a larger space for the educational care/special education program, a dedicated art/after-school program classroom, a faculty and staff lounge and other spaces.

Project Architect:

Pfau Architecture, San Francisco.