SBLM designs schools with class.

With the help of SBLM Architects, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Authority is making educational institutions more enticing for students.

Under the terms of a new contract, SBLM will design a new $33 million, 145,000 s/f K-8 school on 2.1 acres of bayfront land, and plan the upgrades of a 68,000-square-foot elementary school and a 320,000 s/f high school, announces James Cohen, AIA, an SBLM Partner and Managing Director of its Miami office.

"The Miami-Dade School System recognizes that 'institution' and 'innovation' are not mutually exclusive concepts," Cohen notes.

"We're excited to work with an educational agency that is so strongly committed to modernization."

The new K-8 school, located in Sunny Isles Beach, will accommodate as many as 1,650 students in a facility located on 2.1 acres of bayfront land. It will comprise a four-story classroom building and a four-level garage, with school recreational facilities incorporated onto the first level of the garage.

The design includes not only classrooms but also a media center, a "cafetorium," and administrative areas, as well as music, art and science labs. Construction is scheduled for completion in July 2008.

Biscayne Gardens Elementary School, built in 1955, will undergo a $3 million architectural, MEP and Civil upgrade, encompassing a bus drop-off, HVAC upgrades, plumbing and interior repairs. The target completion date is November 2008.

A similar program is planned for Miami Sunset Senior High School, built in 1978, a two-story facility that accommodates approximately 3,600 students. Renovations, slated for completion in October 2009, will include HVAC replacement, interior ADA upgrades, replacement of doors, frames and cabinetry, and interior painting.

All three projects will be spearheaded by SBLM's Miami office. The lead architect is Samuel Matthews, AIA and the project manager is Julio Sanchez.

In addition, Bliss & Nyitray, Inc. will serve as the structural engineers and TLC will be responsible for mechanical, engineering and plumbing work for each project. EAC Consulting, Inc. will serve as the civil engineer for the Sunny Isles school.

"It's an ambitious program," says Cohen. "The budget, plans and timeframe reflect an extraordinary commitment on the part of the Miami-Dade School System."