SchoolNotes

It was just announced publicly this week that Wiencek Associates will be bringing a new project to the Scott Montgomery Elementary School and judging from some of their previous work, it should be pretty nice. The new building will occupy almost half the footprint of the existing Scott Montgomery building. It will connect to the existing building on the north side and take up a large portion of what is now just a concrete and asphalt area that is a poor excuse for a children's playground.

The new annex will house a fantastic new early childhood learning center for KIPP DC: WILL Academy for Scott Montgomery students and a state of the art gymnasium with an indoor basketball court for Scott Montgomery and KIPP DC: WILL Academy. Originally, the project was set to break ground next month, but DCPS made a decision to wait until the current renovations to the second floor of the Scott Montgomery building — now devoted to the KIPP program — are complete. At this time, the new construction is slated to begin in June this year with completion set for the early part of 2009.

Wiencek Associates' portfolio includes the Chevy Elementary School, The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and Lakewood ES in Rockville MD. The firm has also done work recently in Shaw. It put a few updates on the exterior of 1330 7th Street as part of a project that included more substantial interior renovations in community rooms and the lobby.