FORT WORTH, Texas—Students of Paul Laurence Dunbar Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA) in Texas’ Fort Worth Independent School District returned to classes this fall to a newly renovated middle school campus, plus a new high school and gymnasium addition.

KAI, which provided architecture, interior design, MEP/FP engineering and construction administration on the $30 million project, reimagined the academy’s 1950s school as a college campus, in addition to adding a stand-alone high school building and 600-seat competition gymnasium to increase the academy’s total area from 55,000 to 110,000 square feet.

“The renovation and additions pay homage to the Stop Six community and celebrates the success of the young men who walk the halls of YMLA,” said KAI President Darren L. James, FAIA, NOMA. “The young men have embraced the spirit of African American poet and novelist Paul Laurence Dunbar and Reby Cary, a prominent Fort Worth native who focused on education and literacy to become the first Black professor at UTA – both of which improved themselves through the power of education. For these young men, YMLA is a part of their identity and serves as a cornerstone within their development and growth. The new facility serves as a canvas for them to imagine and create their futures for establishing a pathway to lifelong learning utilizing their inspirations as a springboard for their goals.”

Established in 2012, YMLA is Fort Worth ISD’s first single-gender school for boys offering a rigorous preparatory curriculum beginning in the sixth grade. The academy occupies a 1950s school that once housed Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary and Junior High School. Due to the exponential growth and success of the young men that matriculated through the program, the existing facilities reached their physical limit of housing the robust program. KAI was originally selected to design a new school on an alternative site to support the academic rigor of YMLA. Upon analysis of the site, the district decided to renovate, expand and add new buildings to the existing campus to create a collegial feel emulating the environments YMLA students will attend upon graduation.

YMLA boasts an outstanding graduation rate with many of their students going on to attend some of the most elite colleges and universities across the country and have been the recipients of millions of dollars of scholarships to help pay for their collegiate experiences.

KAI’s designers worked within the constraints of the site which fronts on a residential street and is surrounded by residential properties on all other sides to design a new, stand-alone high school building and 600-seat competition gymnasium. The new gym also includes a band room and robotics and engineering labs.

The original building’s MEP/FP systems were upgraded to current standards and existing classrooms were reconfigured and repurposed for 21st Century learning. KAI also designed a new public entrance and façade on the school, plus expanded the library and added collaboration spaces to support the academy’s academic curriculum.

“KAI is honored to be the architect and engineer for the YMLA renovation. I am passionate about all our educational projects and especially proud of our work on Paul Laurence Dunbar Young Men’s Leadership Academy because it’s in the heart of Fort Worth’s Stop Six community,” said James in a Regional Black Contractors Association article. “As a Black architect, the ability to design spaces educating and influencing our children preparing them for leadership and just as importantly opening their eyes to opportunities in the architectural profession by showing them people that look like them. The collective power of these young scholars is amazing and for KAI to be part of their academic journey is edifying knowing that these young men will change the world in ways that are still being formulated in their dreams.”

The Turner l Source joint venture was the Construction Manager at Risk on the project, which employed a large number of minority-owned subcontractors.

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NEW HAVEN, Conn.—General contracting firm Turner will be upgrading and expanding Yale University’s Physical Sciences and Engineering Building such that it achieves net-zero emissions. Turner is currently undertaking preconstruction services at the Ivy League school for the $365 million project.

Work on the redesign of the sciences facility will entail a 253,000-square-foot research lab, 48,000-square-foot addition to Wright Laboratory and a new parking garage. The space will be home to classrooms, research laboratories, a career center, seminar rooms and “chemical safety facility.”

Several existing buildings will be demolished as part of the redesign. Those to be removed include an existing parking garage, laboratory and other facilities. Additionally, soils will be remediated and utilities relocated below ground.

According to a recent release by Turner, the Yale work is in line with the general contractor’s efforts to increase sustainability in its educational improvement projects.

“This awarded contract is a testament to our ability to leverage Turner’s expertise across the business unit and entire company,” Turner Preconstruction Manager Valerie Donahue said in the news release from Turner. “A very special thank you goes out to our many local, national and regional experts who were instrumental in helping us win this very important project for Yale and Turner.”

Turner announced that, following its preconstruction work, it will commence actual construction in the summer of 2023, with an end date projected for sometime in 2027.

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YUMA, Ariz. — Yuma Union High School District students, staff, and community members recently gathered to celebrate the opening of the Kofa High School campus. DLR Group’s design transforms the once sprawling, unorganized site into a cohesive high school campus serving 2,000 students in grades 9-12.

The $12 million project was funded by a 2015 voter-approved bond passage. Arcadis served as project manager and McCarthy Building Companies served as general contractor.

According to Turner, an international construction services company, the two phases of the Kofa High School renovations project included 177,000 square feet of upgrades to the gymnasium, cafeteria, classrooms, bus and visitor/staff parking areas. Work also included enhancements to campus security and information technology resources.

The new campus features updated academic classrooms and labs with abundant technology, and flexible collaboration areas that allow students to work in small or large groups. The reimagined student hub now encompasses dining, socializing, and student services in a central location. The student hub has a new culinary arts classroom and restaurant providing enhanced dining options for students, educators, and community members. In addition, it also houses the campus bookstore, student-run store, and IT support center.

“The conversion of the original Kofa cafeteria into a new dynamic hub is one of the most dramatic changes in this renovation,” said DLR Group Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA. “Our design unifies the campus aesthetically and provides future-ready environments that celebrate academics, athletics, and the whole student experience.”

DLR Group’s design frames an active zone south of the student hub, creating synergies between career and technical education (CTE) courses such as personal training, athletics, nursing, physical education, and health classes. Spaces in the active zone serve dual purposes: the wrestling room is also used for police take-down training, the strength training area is utilized by students enrolled in the physical therapy certification program, and the nursing program shares spaces with the EMT certification program.

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