Grand Island Central School District wanted to equip its five schools — a high school, a middle school, and three elementary schools — for 21st-century learning. We partnered with the district to provide planning and design services for the resulting $51 million capital project.

Throughout all of the buildings, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire alarm, and security systems were repaired, and universal accessibility was improved. Kaegebein Elementary, the elementary school most in need of improvement, received a three-classroom addition that connected two existing classroom wings, an expanded health suite, and a reconfigured entryway. At Huth Road Elementary, the library was expanded to a full media center and a café was converted to a multiuse space. Sidway Elementary, an early-childhood center serving grades preK-1, received an expanded library and a relocated main office. At the middle school, all five science labs were enlarged to meet modern standards.

The high school received a new STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) wing centered on a double-story “Fusion Studio” suitable for public assemblies and displaying student projects. Five 2,000 SF STEM labs surround the Fusion Studio, and any of these labs can be “fused” with the larger space via retractable window walls. The STEM wing also includes two 1,000 SF shared computer classrooms. All ten of the high school’s existing science labs were renovated.