This summer The Community School plans to begin the first phase of a major facelift slated to improve its educational facilities. The school presented a three-phase master plan last week calling for improvements, renovations and new construction at the Trail Creek campus in Sun Valley.
"You can see it's a new chapter for the school," Tom Unger, chair of the school board, said.
Unger, Project Coordinator Lori Labrum and Ketchum-based architect Michael Doty revealed master development plans for Trail Creek campus at a renovation preview meeting held Thursday, Feb. 17, at the school.
The project includes additions to the elementary and middle schools, construction of a new upper school and library facility and a remodel of the existing science building. The improvements enhance the Trail Creek campus facility, while maintaining the capacity to serve a similar number of students. The project does not include plans to develop the Sagewillow campus.
The first phase of renovations enlarges the elementary and middle schools and demolishes the administrative building.
"The 'Extreme Makeover Home Edition' is similar to what is happening on campus this summer," Doty said.
The elementary school addition extends the first and second floor classrooms eight feet to the east and west sides of the building. The Middle School addition adds a second story classroom over the existing seventh grade classroom. The new classroom is intended as a middle school science facility. The Sun Valley P&Z approved the plans for the additions in early January.
Construction for the first phase begins this summer, the day after graduation.
The first phase also includes demolition of the administrative building to make way for a new upper school and library facility. The upper school and library facility, slated as the second phase of the project, is scheduled for construction in June 2006.
The preliminary architectural renderings for the new building depict a northwest-style building described as a warm space. The upper school building includes administrative offices and lounges on the lower floor and six classrooms on the second floor. The plans also call for a one-story library attached by a breezeway to the upper school.
A new science facility is planned for construction in June 2007, though the building is not yet designed.
"The other big idea is to introduce some color on campus," Doty said.
The proposed color scheme includes an earth tone pallet, moving away from the existing monochromatic color selection.
The renovations also call for increased parking space. Negotiations are under way between the school and Sun Valley Company for additional parking.
Ketchum-based architect Michael Doty and Pat Aluisi, a Community School parent, explore site plans depicting renovations of The Community School's Trail Creek campus in Sun Valley. Photo by David N. Seelig
