Elementary School 4 gets preliminary design approval
Published 4:10 pm Tuesday, September 16, 2014
The Mercer Island Design Commission voted to grant preliminary design approval for Elementary School 4 at the corner of 86th Avenue S.E. and S.E. 40th Street.
The design, by Mahlum Architects included some changes the commission had asked for in a previous meetings.
The 77,000-square-foot, one-and-two-story building will include 20 general classrooms, 2 art/science/technology labs, and an enlarged community gymnasium, cafeteria and kitchen. There will be library, administrative and faculty support spaces.
The school district has yet to decide the number of students who will attend the school. But, school officials have said that elementary school sizes between 400 and 500 students are optimal.
There will also be an interior courtyard that will be used as outdoor classroom space. Some roofs will be ‘green’ and will be covered with plantings. The main entrance to the building will be along 86th Avenue S.E. screened by existing trees, where a two lane driveway will slope down to parking and drop off zone. From 86th just the second story will be visible.
Most of the parking will be to the east of the school nearer to Mary Wayte Pool. There will be another entrance to the school from the lot which is midway down the eastern side of the building. The school is also being designed to allow community use as well. The gyms and common areas can be accessed after hours while allowing some areas to be secured. Outside there are areas for kids to dig in the dirt, bounce balls off the exterior walls and operate a pump the powers a fountain by hand. There will be room both outdoors and in, to display student art and projects. There will be small spaces scattered throughout for quiet reading, and a weather station.
