The first of a series of opportunities for community involvement regarding updating the FHS facilities was held Wednesday, March 4, at the high school library. Offered as a Community Design Forum, the stated purpose was to gather community input on improvements of the buildings on the Ferndale High School campus.
50 people filled the library and of those 10 were recognized as school staff.
Terry Brown, architect with Zervas Architects, was the forum facilitator. Brown introduced information that had been gathered from several sources pertaining to the project. This included the square footage measures and build dates for existing buildings on the high school campus. In addition, each building was given a condition assessment score based on a combination of measures such as substructure, shell, interiors, services and furnishings.
Requirements
- Existing campus area: 219,000
- Total area needed: 250,000 (assumes 1,600 students)
- Plans can be 1 or 2 story but cannot exceed 250,000 square feet
- May consider saving and remodeling some buildings
- Consider connected buildings for security
- Main entry should be visible from parking
- Consider occupied buildings during the work to minimize cost and disruption
- Fields may be reconfigured or relocated
Click for more information
Click for more information| Building | Sq Feet | Year Built | Condition Score (0→100) |
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| Old Main | 36,471 | 1930s | 42.95 |
| Gymnasium | 47,919 | 1950s | 48.03 |
| Cafeteria | 16,218 | 1960 | 75.25 |
| Performing Arts | 27,443 | 1970 | 73.27 |
| Vocational | 31,316 | 1940s | 41.65 |
| Auto Shop | 3,018 | 1992 | |
| Alexander | 28,975 | 1950s | 44.06 |
| 500 Wing | 22,847 | 1970s | 48.16 |
| Weight Room | 3,000 | 2007 | 91.05 |
| Green House | 3,500 | ||
| Aquaculture Center | 1,750 |
Utilizing this information and working with large format prints of a satellite image of the campus, attendees worked for over an hour in small groups to come up with recommendations for each building.
Recommendations varied between the groups and included mixes of replacing, constructing and renovating buildings.
According to the district, “Information gathered at the forum will now be shared with the Ferndale School Board at its March 16 meeting and Facilities Advisory Committee at its meeting March 17.”