Rebuild of burned Santa Rosa classrooms, preschool wins Top Real Estate Projects in the North Bay Awards for 2019
Reconstruction of a classroom building at Cardinal Newman High School and St. Rose Preschool, both burned in the 2017 wildfire, wins North Bay Business Journal's Top Real Estate Projects in the North Bay Awards for 2019.
Located directly in the path of the 2017 North Bay wildfires, Cardinal Newman High School sustained significant damage to half of its campus. Classroom buildings, the library and front offices were destroyed.
Quattrocchi Kwok Architects was brought in to develop a Facilities Master Plan. QKA met with teachers, school administrators and staff to better understand the high school's educational goals and programming it intended to offer in the future.
Work involved the complete reconstruction of the original building that sustained substantial smoke and fire damage, leaving only structural wood framing. Students were welcomed back for the 2018-19 school year to the first completed project – the new 9,300 square foot North Classroom Building. This building is comprised of eight classrooms and new, larger student restrooms.
QKA designed flexible classrooms to better accommodate today's learning environments.
Built-in casework was limited, incorporating movable furniture for easy reconfiguration. Partitions were added between classrooms to respond to teaching needs.
Energy-efficient mechanical systems, including air conditioning, lighting and dimming controls and larger operable windows, were added to maximize fresh-air intake. Outside, damaged-covered walkways were removed, and new canopies were installed above classroom doors. Shading devices were installed above windows. New concrete sidewalks now line the perimeter of the building. Next on the list is a new two-story classroom building to replace temporary portables.
St. Rose Catholic Preschool had to be rebuilt after it was destroyed in the Tubbs fire in October 2017.
GMH Builders worked closely with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and the owners to develop a functional modern design, while maintaining the look and charm of the original structure. Construction work was performed while school was in session. Temporary demising walls were built to separate the work area from the school and to provide a sound barrier.
The new preschool features an open floor plan with a significant covered area allowing for outdoor student activities shielded from extreme weather conditions. The site and playground were completely replaced with custom designed, age-appropriate elements. Donor tiles were pulled from the ashes and recreated to highlight the entry, and a custom backlit, stained glass window was installed at the cupola.
Design, permitting and construction activities were fast-tracked with the goal to get children back to school and familiar surroundings as quickly as possible. The ribbon cutting of the “Preschool 2.0” happened 56 weeks after the fire. All vestiges of the fire were gone. Students were welcomed with a red-carpet greeting.
St. Rose Catholic Preschool Principal Kathy Ryan said, “I'd like this story to be a ray of light for others. Rebuilding St. Rose was a shining example of what communities can achieve when people work together. There has been so much focus on the ravages of the wildfires, I believe we all need to know that there is hope after tragedies such as this.”
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Update, Dec. 23, 2019: This story was updated with information from both projects.
