Fenty Administration Unveils New Modernization Efforts at Savoy Elementary School

Student Body Celebrate Extensive Renovations to School While OPEFM Seeks LEED Gold Certification

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization (OPEFM) Executive Director Allen Y. Lew, and District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee joined the student body and surrounding community to celebrate the opening and modernization of Alfred Kiger Savoy Elementary School.

“I am proud to provide the student at Savoy Elementary with a fully modernized school,” Mayor Fenty said. “OPEFM has worked diligently over the past couple weeks to ensure that the District’s youth are returning to schools that are world-class facilities.”

Modernization included the full renovation of the original building, built in 1968. The $34.4 million renovations to Savoy Elementary School include:

•    Two elevators -- one in the main academic building -- the other in the new wing (library, gym, parking structure).
•    3 addition art music, and science classrooms
•    High speed Internet access in all classrooms, wireless access throughout the building
•    135 Apple computers
•    9 built in Promethean/Smart boards, and permanently installed
•    42 inch LCD televisions in all classrooms.
•    Playground
•    Environmentally friendly marmoleum flooring in main corridors and classrooms

The 26,000-square-foot addition will house a new gymnasium; full performance stage; media center/computer lab; a library with room for 9,000 volumes; new elevator, a 36-car underground parking facility; and a library center which includes a computer lab.

All upgrades were made in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Additionally, the entire facility was updated with a modernized boiler system, new air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, telecommunications, fire protection, and security systems.

“The improvements made to Alfred Kiger Savoy Elementary School will serve to better equip the faculty to support its PreK – 5th grade students,” said Chancellor Michelle Rhee. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mayor Fenty and to Allen Lew and his team for their relentless efforts in providing the youth of the District with the absolute best.”
                                               
The modernization at 2400 Shannon Place, SE. began in 2005 under the former DC Public Schools Office of Facilities. In 2008, OPEFM took over the project and completed Savoy’s demolition and abatement.

Savoy was one of the first DC public schools to seek LEED certification. Design and construction activities originally steered the project toward basic LEED certification. However, careful planning and oversight have placed Savoy on track for LEED Gold certification. A final construction activities and review by the US Green Building Council will be conducted in Fall 2009.

“I am thrilled at all that we have been able to accomplish here at Savoy,” OPEFM Director Allen Lew said. “We are extremely proud to be in the running to receive LEED Gold as more than 75 percent of construction waste has been diverted from landfills.”

The construction materials used throughout the project consisted of regional, low-emitting, and rapidly renewable materials, certified wood, and recycled content. Bowie Gridley Architects and Sigal Construction were contracted to complete Savoy’s modernization.