Overview
Charleston Progressive Academy is a K-6 magnet school with a special educational focus on physical fitness. The original, historic 1955 Courtenay School Building was completely renovated on the interior, seismically upgraded, and restored to its original appearance. Later additions including the gymnasium and annex building were completely demolished, and a new 32,000 SF addition was constructed to provide space for science, the arts, physical education, a kitchen and cafeteria, a multi-purpose room and a media center. The total renovation and new building areas amount to 74,000 SF and has a capacity for 500 students.
The school’s site mediates between the Meeting Street commercial corridor and the adjacent historic Mazyck-Wraggsborough residential neighborhood. Along with preservation, site security, traffic and massing related to the residential neighborhood were critical design issues and garnered extensive neighborhood involvement. The new buildings at the corner of Meeting and Wragg create an open space and play yard at the center of the site.
Engineering Highlights
- The project utilized water source heat pump units for comfort heating / cooling, and water source dedicated outdoor air units to provide code required ventilation, humidity control and positive building pressurization
- The WSHP units, which serve individual classrooms, are located in mechanical closets accessible from the corridor
- The main mechanical room containing the cooling tower, boilers and pumps is located adjacent to the school in a separate building that mimics the houses from the surrounding neighborhood
- RMF’s electrical scope of work for the project includes the provision of all electrical systems including power, lighting, fire alarm and special systems
- The building will be fully sprinkled by an automatic wet sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13
