Design's Impact on Society Gets IIDA Nod

SAN FRANCISCO—The LePort Montessori Schools project at 50 Fell St. involved transforming a dilapidated, abandoned building into a new 22,260-square-foot Montessori school for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The new school includes an indoor play area, outdoor playground, infant rooms, toddler rooms, preschool/kindergarten classrooms, a gardening room, staff lounge, meeting room and break room. Since the opening, the school has full classes and a wait list.

Because of the historical significance of the building, extreme care was given to preserving the original features and finishes in the final design, including replicating pre-existing ironwork, woodwork, windows and doors that needed to be repaired or replaced. Steel beams and exposed original brickwork line the walls to maintain the building's structural integrity. The general contractor for the project was BCCI Construction.

Ware Malcomb provided interior architecture and design services for the project, and it has been honored with the Give Award from the International Interior Design Association. The award is presented annually to one project in any category chosen by the jury with an emphasis on improving the physical space's impact on society.

Rhea Butler, director, interior architecture and design at Ware Malcomb, recently discussed some of the issues regarding preserving the historical nature of the building, other unique features of the project and the type of work in which Ware Malcomb engages in this exclusive.

GlobeSt.com: What was involved in preserving the original features and finishes in the final design of the school?

Rhea Butler: Due to the historical significance of the building, pre-existing finishes such as ironwork, woodwork, windows, and doors required upgrading and/or replacement by artisans that specialize in preserving these furnishings and finishes. Ware Malcomb worked closely with a preservation architect to ensure the historic elements of the building were maintained.

GlobeSt.com: What else was special about the project?

Butler: In addition to the effort to preserve the historical features and finishes, the project required a change of occupancy, from “B” (business occupancy) to the more restrictive “E” (educational occupancy) classification. ADA, seismic, fire/life safety and even indoor air quality upgrades were needed.

Limited outdoor space necessitated a unique indoor play area within the basement. Outdoor elements such as a running track, climbing wall, basketball hoops, picnic benches and jungle gym were brought inside to provide children with several options for activities and exercise.

GlobeSt.com: Please share more insight into the significance of the award.

Butler: The Give Award is awarded to one project with an emphasis on improving the physical space's impact on society, including but not limited to sustainability, occupant well-being and historic renovation. The LePort Montessori Schools project made a positive impact on the community, restoring an abandoned building to a historic jewel in the heart of downtown San Francisco and providing children with unique environment to learn and play.

GlobeSt.com: How does the award highlight the type of work Ware Malcomb does?

Butler: The LePort Montessori Schools project reflects our increased presence in downtown San Francisco and other major downtown areas across the United States, as well as our strong portfolio of renovation and educational projects.

GlobeSt.com:  Are there other similar projects that Ware Malcomb is currently working on?

Butler: Ware Malcomb regularly works on projects across North America that involve repositioning existing buildings. Our goal is to maximize long-term real estate value for our clients by providing creative and efficient design solutions. We are also currently engaged in a number of educational projects and have done work ranging from pre-kindergarten to university-level facilities.

Another school project getting attention is the Making Waves Academy, a public charter school located at 4123 Lakeside Dr. in Richmond, CA. Dennis Williams, senior vice president/managing director of NorthMarq Capital's San Francisco regional office, arranged $45 million in private bond financing for the expansion of the school.

The property is currently 99,389 square feet, with the expansion bringing it to 231,000 square feet. After the expansion is completed by construction manager Campus LLC in approximately 2018/2019, the property will increase its serving capacity from 800 to 2,200 students in grades 9^th through 12^th.

“This financing, and perhaps others to follow, will help to create more high-quality educational opportunities for disadvantaged and under-served children,” said Steven Roth, CFO/COO of Making Waves TM Academy & Foundation.

The transaction was structured with a fully amortizing 20-year term. NorthMarq arranged financing for the borrower through its relationship with the public and nonprofit finance branch of a regional bank.