PRE-K CENTERS & DESIGN REVIEW, HOUSTON, TEXAS
In 1998, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) launched HISD Rebuild 2002, to provide 70,000 students with better environments for learning. Projects included both renovation of existing facilities and new construction. In 2002, the success of the program resulted in a new bond referendum overwhelmingly being approved for an additional investment of $808.6 million. Throughout both phases of this program, OTHON provided civil engineering on multiple projects including four Pre-K centers. While a prototype was designed to be used for the centers, site conditions varied dramatically, posing unique engineering challenges at each location.
For example, on the Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Development Center (West District), the 3.5-acre site needed to include not only the 40,437-sf center, but also access drives, parking, sidewalks, play areas, and utility infrastructure. In addition, the site required a detention facility to accommodate the run-off resulting from the increase in impervious cover. OTHON turned the challenge of the detention facility into an opportunity, however, by developing it into a park-like area where students could study aquatic plants.
Plants of another type posed a challenge at the Amanda Farias Early Childhood Development Center (North District). Large, centuries-old live oak trees prompted OTHON to work closely with an arborist to develop the site in a way that would preserve the trees. This included not only avoiding damage to the root system, but consideration of the future impacts of the root system on foundations and paving. OTHON’S success in protecting the live oaks has prompted other school districts to visit the site to study ways they might also save historic trees.
At the Ninfa Laurenzo Early Childhood Development Center (East District), the small, less than 1-acre, site required that the prototype be adapted to two stories in order to accommodate the 40,000-sf center and related infrastructure. Additional space was gained by relocating parking to across the street.
At the Martin Luther King Jr. Early Childhood Development Center (South District), access to the nearby HISD District Office, located several lots away, required incorporation of a pedestrian walkway so that teachers and administrators could go back and forth without entering the busy street. This facility received a Merit Award from AIA Houston in 2006.
In addition to site design for projects such as the Pre-K centers, OTHON provided design review services for the civil engineering of 16 schools as part of a management service contract to HISD. The 14 elementary and two middle schools were divided into three categories: (1) renovations; (2) renovation/expansions; and (3) replacement/relief. The middle schools included gymnasiums and athletic fields. Each phase of the review was documented to ensure compliance with local and state codes and design requirements, as well as HISD specifications. Reviews included site dimensioning, grading, drainage, utilities, stormwater pollution prevention and construction details. In addition, review of capacity letters, geotechnical reports and coordination between site utilities, plumbing and mechanical plans.
Total Construction Cost: $28 Million
Completion Date (Design): 2004
Owner: Houston Independent School District