| Project Detail |
Addressing aging facilities and increasing community needs
Accelerating the delivery of US public school facilities with an innovative, first-of-its-kind approach.
Prince Georges County Public School System, one of the nations largest school districts, was faced with aging facilities and overcrowding from a growing student population. In response, the county entered into a public-private partnership (P3) with Prince George’s County Education and Community Partners. The consortium—comprised of Fengate Asset Management, Gilbane Development Company, Gilbane Building Company, Stantec, and Honeywell Building Technologies—were responsible for designing, building financing, operating, and maintaining six new schools under a 30-year contract.
This pioneering delivery approach is the first of its kind for a US public school system and provided five new middle schools and one K-8 school while cutting delivery time in half, reducing construction costs, and reducing preventative maintenance over the life of the schools. Compared to a traditional construction procurement model, this approach will save approximately $174 million in deferred maintenance and construction costs.
As the partnerships architect, we designed a flexible prototype that was adapted for various learning environments in each of the schools. The facilities transform the educational experience for the district’s diverse student population in the Washington, DC suburbs by helping students discover their skills and interests. With flexible spaces more adaptable to modern pedagogy, the design offers innovative learning environments through small and large group instruction and peer-to-peer engagement.
The story isn’t just about the savings and innovative designs—it’s about delivering engaging educational spaces for the future leaders of their community. |
