Longfellow Middle School

The flagship of Mount Vernon's $100-million urban school master plan is the new 86,500 sq.ft., four-story Longfellow Middle School, which will house 500 students, grades 6-8. The school is organized on the team-teaching concept, with each grade occupying a separate floor level complete with classrooms, science labs, resource rooms, shared common space, and teacher planning. To encourage community use, the ground level is dedicated to common core facilities, including a media center, cafeteria, and multi-purpose gymatorium and stage. A band/choral room opens out to the entry courtyard for outdoor performances. The building integrates numerous "green" design features, including a mechanical system with full heat recovery and room occupancy sensor controls. Room lighting is controlled by occupancy sensors and natural daylight is integrated to further reduce electricity consumption. The project serves as a model for the development of urban schools where land is unavailable and property is at a premium.