Maryland State Department of Education Montgomery County Public Schools Cross-agency Work Group on School Design Options Presentation to LEA Facilities Planners Meeting – September 22, 2015 Barbara Bice, School Facilities Branch Chief ,

Charge to Work Group  Examine alternative ways to design schools  Explore school design options that minimize site needs  Respond to growing interest in repurposing vacant commercial office space  Complement prior study on collocating public facilities

Work Group  17 member Work Group representing: County Council and Depts. of Planning, General Services & Budget staff PTA Council leadership MCPS Long-range planning, real estate mgmt. staff, school principal, Rockville City & Gaithersburg City staff Private architect MSDE  Met 6 times between May and September 2015

MCPS Planning Context  Over 150,000 students  Over 200 schools  Enrollment increased by 65,000 students in last 30 years  Enrollment projected to increase by another 11,500 students by 2020  Four new schools scheduled to open by 2018

Work Group Process  Gather Information and Review MCPS long range planning Schools on Small Sites Schools in Repurposed Commercial Bldgs  Identify Benefits/Drawbacks  Calculate cost sample  Issue findings

Work Group Task 1 Reviewed MCPS Long-range Planning 1. Current strategies to address growth 2. Ed specs – school buildings and sites 3. Existing schools on small sites 4. Closed schools in public ownership 5. Future sites (BOE and Master Plan) 6. Council approved projects 7. Options in each high school cluster

MCPS Strategies for Addressing Enrollment Growth in Order 1. Change school boundaries to reassign students 2. Add capacity to school over its capacity 3. Add capacity to nearby school and reassign 4. Reopen closed school in area 5. Construct new school on: a) BOE site b) Dedicated site c) Former BOE property still publically owned w/reclamation provision d) Land purchased from private owner

MCPS Preferred School Sizes, Actual Site Sizes, & School-Park Sites  Elementary Preferred range to 750 students Average 9.1 Ac.; Range 1.9 to 27.0 Ac.  Middle Preferred range – 750 to 1,200 students Average 19.7 Ac.; Range 8.1 to 41.2 Ac.  High Preferred range – 1,600 to 2,400 students Average 35.4 Ac.; Range 16.4 to 91.1 Ac.  Collocated with Parks 46 elementary, 12 middle, 7 high

9 Elementary School Site (7.5 acres)

10 Middle School Site (15.5 acres)

11 High School Site (35 acres)

12 Closed Schools in Public Ownership

13 Future School Sites in BOE Ownership

14 Future School Sites Titled to Others and in Master Plans

15 Elementary Schools: 2 New Elementary Schools = 1,342 seats 17 addition projects (138 classrooms) = 2,917 seats 6 Revitalization/Expansion projects (44 classrooms) = 1,257 seats TOTAL Capacity Added = 5,516 seats Middle Schools: 2 New Middle Schools = 1,887 seats 2 additions projects (35 classrooms) = 744 seats 1 Revitalization/Expansion project (8 classrooms) = 170 seats TOTAL Capacity Added = 2,801 seats High Schools: 2 addition projects (51 classrooms) = 1,147 seats 2 Revitalization/Expansion projects (47 classrooms) = 1,058 seats TOTAL Capacity Added = 2,205 seats GRAND TOTAL CAPACITY ADDED = 10,522 SEATS Additional Capacity by 2020  2021 provided by County Council Approved Amendments to FY 2015–2020 CIP

MCPS Options in High School Clusters  Projected E/M/HS Enrollment/Capacity  Projected Utilization/Seats Avail/Deficit  Specific Options at Specific Schools Reassignments Increase capacity Closed schools New schools Sites available

Work Group Task 2 Reviewed Schools on Small Sites  Dunbar Senior HS, DC Acres  Union City HS, NJ – 8.4 Acres  School without Walls, DC – 0.5 Acres  Public School #330, NYC – 0.54 Acres  Frederico Garcia Lorca ES, Chicago – 3.0 Acres

Work Group Task 3 - Reviewed Schools in Repurposed Commercial Buildings  North Atlanta HS, GA – office, 11 stories, 11.4 Ac.  Calhoun School, NYC – office, 8 stories  World School, NYC – historic warehouse, 11 stories  Community Charter School of Paterson, NJ – historic industrial, 0.6 Ac.  High Tech HS, San Diego – Naval Training Center  Pueblo School Complex, Pomona, CA – retail mall, 9.8 Ac.  Bailey’s Upper ES, Falls Church VA – office, 5 stories, 3.4 Ac.

Common Characteristics  Very limited outdoor facilities  Special programs and charter schools No defined attendance areas Lower enrollment than typical MCPS  Classrooms most easily built  Specialized spaces difficult to add and increase costs

Work Group Task 4 Benefits/Drawbacks – Small Sites  Benefits May be only way in urban areas May increase options, be easier to acquire May result in less acreage to maintain May fit better in urban environment  Drawbacks May compromise student safety by reducing/eliminating parking and loading areas May compromise Physical Education and recreation programs by reducing/eliminating playgrounds and fields May raise equity issues with schools on larger sites May increase construction costs and safety concerns if underground parking is used

Benefits/Drawbacks – Repurposed Commercial Buildings  Benefits May be repurposed more quickly than new construction if vacant May be leased to respond to temporary enrollment needs until permanent solution available May be appropriate for innovative educational programs May increase transportation options if served by robust public transportation May reduce undesirable vacancies  Drawbacks Significant student safety concerns about partial occupancy May reduce walkability if not in residential areas May be as costly or more costly than traditional school construction Same as for Small Sites – student/vehicle safety, loss of outdoor programs, equity in county

Work Group Task 5 Cost to Repurpose a Vacant Office Building  Program: Convert 5 story, vacant office building, 150,000 SF, Bethesda area, into 900 capacity middle school  Construction Estimate: $18 – 23 million to construct classrooms; $1.0 – 1.5 million design costs; Additional costs to construct gym, cafeteria, fields  Lease Cost Assumptions: $27/sf; 11 year period; annual increases 2.5%; owner allowance of $3-4 million  Purchase Cost Estimate: $40 million based on last time building sold and current assessments (Note sample bldg is NOT for sale.)

Total Costs  $70 – 76 million to lease for 11 years and repurpose for classrooms  $59 – 65 million to purchase and repurpose for classrooms  $53.8 million to construct new Clarksburg/Damascus MS opening 2016 with capacity for 965 students

Work Group Findings on Use of Small Sites and Repurposed Commercial Buildings 1. Invention occurs where land is scarce and no closed schools available to reopen 2. Obtaining school sites will become more challenging due to continuing county development 3. Outdoor amenities frequently subject to reduction, multiple use or elimination 4. MCPS has many future school sites, closed schools, and surplus- ed properties still in public ownership to use first 5. Alternative designs are applicable to specific needs and specific opportunities 6. Many potential challenges would need to be identified and addressed case by case

MCPS Contacts Bruce Crispell, Director Division of Long-range Planning Deborah Szyfer, Senior Planner Division of Long-range Planning