Rendering of Lewiston Middle School renovation
Lewiston, ME – A high school steeped in tradition is meeting needs of its future while offering reminders of its past with its new 10,000sf addition.
Lewiston Middle School, originally built in the 1930s, has completed phase one of its two-part $7.9-million renovation project. The three-story addition houses administrative offices on the ground level, and, by fall, will host a library on the second floor and science and fine arts facilities on the third level. Second-phase renovations, consisting of upgrades to approximately 90,000 SF of existing space, including common areas, restroom renovations, and enlargement of cafeteria, are now underway, and are expected to be completed in December. Approximately 30,000sf of existing area is scheduled to remain as is or receive minimal work.
The addition “underscores the beauty of the original façade of Lewiston Middle School,” says architect and project manager Sergio Gaddar, AIA, of WBRC Architects Engineers. High-performance glazed curtain walls create a transparency that allows onlookers to see through and onto the preserved original façade.
Lewiston School renovation in progress
“The intent was to honor the beauty of the existing design while creating a modern, light-filled, energy-efficient space,” Gaddar says.
The upgrades and expansion were needed for safety, comfort, as well as improved functionality for staff members and its 700 students, says Lewiston Middle School Principal Shawn Chabot.
“The addition, in particular, allowed us to bring all the administrative functions of the school – guidance, health center, the main office, and special education services – down on the first floor of the building,” he says.
Prior to the new space, these services were located on the second level, presenting multiple concerns, Chabot says. Topping the list, he says, was security. “The main entrance on the ground level was difficult to monitor. This addition allows us to have guests in an area that is more secure,” he adds.
The space also provides for modernization of the school’s library and science programming.
“Lewiston Middle School had many of the challenges administrators face when serving a student population in an older building,” says WBRC’s Steve Pedersen, AIA, who was involved in the early planning of the project.
“The building was overcrowded, energy-efficiency was poor, and building access was awkward and lacked security. Our final design solution focused on these key areas,” says Pedersen.
With this renovation, students and staff will see a significant improvement in air quality, and enjoy comfortable, consistent heating, he says.
Prior to the upgrades, heating and cooling systems were poor. “Other than windows, there was no ventilation,” says Chabot. On the third floor, you were sweating; on the first floor, you were cold; and, like ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears,’ the middle floor was just right.”
WBRC converted the school’s heating distribution system from steam to hot water, allowing more precise heating control, as well as improved energy efficiency.
The project included replacement of nearly all of the unit ventilators to take advantage of the available hot water to obtain better ventilation air modulation through CO2 control. For the addition, WBRC provided a variable volume air handler with heat pipe energy recovery and central air conditioning.
Lewiston Middle School has received extensive renovations and upgrades throughout its 70-year history. A gymnasium and auditorium were expanded in 1955. A two-story structure was built to connect a renovated cafeteria and house a new library in 1984. Other enhancement projects were completed in 1992 and 2006.
This newest addition further meets the school’s evolving needs. What sets this design apart is the juxtaposition of elements. It uniquely honors the school’s storied past, says Chabot.
“When you come through the new entryway in the addition, you’re greeted by the arches of the old outside doors,” says Chabot. “People like the mixture of old and new and how the architects kept some of the old parts of the building, allowing that existing architecture to shine through. It melded the two worlds together.”
