Constructed in 1956, Charles Drew ES in Washington, DC was sorely in need of a major overhaul. The four story building envelope was in such poor condition, classes had to be shuffled between north- and south- facing rooms as the seasons changed. The facility was entirely inadequate to serve the needs of the staff and students. DC Public Schools’ Summer 2010 Phase I Modernization program was designed to put facilities like Drew on track to meet 21st century education standards. As part of a phased modernization effort, Sorg’s first task was to develop a master plan outlining the full extent of the effort across the schools’ 67,000 sf. Phase I focused on areas most likely to have an immediate effect on the students: classrooms, bathrooms and hallways. A full renovation occurred in these areas, including new linoleum flooring, NAUF casework, low-flow plumbing fixtures, high-performance ceiling tiles and direct/indirect lighting fixtures. High-performance replacement windows with insulated low-e glazing will be installed throughout the entire facility within the first months of the school year, completing the first phase of work. Subsequent phases are scheduled to incorporate full accessibility upgrades, modernization of group instructional areas, and installation of a fire sprinkler system.

Client: DC Office of Public Education
Facilities Management