MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—The Mountain View Los Altos High School District (MVLA) has begun needed renovations at several of its schools in the Northern California community.

The district broke ground in mid-July on the new Student Services Center and Auxiliary Gymnasium at Mountain View High School (MVHS), as well as a one-story classroom structure at Freestyle Academy for Arts & Technology and a new Student Services Center facility at Los Altos High School (LAHS).

The Student Services Center at MVHS is meant to be a centralized gathering spot for the campus. It will entail a dining commons and cafeteria, multiple classrooms, student union, classrooms and administrative offices. The school will now be set up to handle mental health and career counseling at specified areas inside the new campus spaces. The total new construction, aiming at LEED Silver certification, entails nearly 33,000 square feet of space. MVHS is also commencing on buildout of an auxiliary gymnasium and improving its athletic fields.

Next door to MVHS, the Freestyle Academy is adding a one-story, 10,500-square-foot digital arts classroom building for communications and multimedia curriculum. This new construction replaces five existing “portables” and consolidates them into one location, and also adds a student plaza.

The new Student Services Center at LAHS will be home to the counseling department, conference spaces, administration offices, lounge and student union. LAHS will also be upgrading its athletic fields as part and parcel of the renovations. The school is aiming for LEED Silver certification, if not higher.

Quattrocchi Kwok Architects of Santa Rosa, Calif., is serving as the project architect. The architectural firm is partnering with construction manager RGM Kramer, Inc., which is based in Concord, California.

Quattrocchi Kwok’s founding principal Mark Quattrocchi said that his firm is enjoying a productive relationship with both RGM Kramer and the Mountain View Los Altos High School District.

“Marking a post-pandemic era, we are confident these spaces will support the next generation of learning with thoughtful and flexible group collaboration and gathering spaces, integrated student service areas, and more,” Quattrocchi said.

At a groundbreaking ceremony, Patrick Maravelias, vice president of RGM Kramer, Inc., said that being able to attend an in-person event in light of the pandemic was especially gratifying.

“These new facilities will greatly improve each campus, replacing, in some cases, outdated, portable structures,” Maravelias said. “As always, we appreciate the close collaboration employed among the project team and look forward to what is to come for the district.”

Added Dr. Nellie Meyer, MVLA’s superintendent: “We are thrilled to formally mark the start of construction of these needed spaces that will enhance the learning and work experience for our students, teachers and staff.”

All three of the campus redesigns and upgrades are expected to be completed by the spring of 2023.

The post Northern California District Begins Multiple Renovations appeared first on School Construction News.