ARTech to Expand Over the Summer

Out with the students and in with the hard hats.

On Monday, the (ARTech) begins construction on a 2,030-foot expansion of the school’s facility, which will include two classroom studios, three entrances and a hallway.

The two classroom studios, measuring a total of 42 x 48 feet, will serve equally crucial but vastly different purposes. One will function as a science lab and the other will be a “dry studio” and will be used for art, social studies and language arts classes. The expansion will also allow ARTech’s current art room to serve as a lobby for the school’s black box theater.

“(The expansion is) needed to better meet the needs of the students and in particular provide a better place for science class and science projects to happen and a better space for the art projects and art classes as well,” said Tim Goodwin, a member of the ARTech School Board and parent of two ARTech students. “By adding this new space, we’re providing a more updated space for those activities, plus then freeing up existing space for things that have already been happening at the school.”

These changes to ARTech have been long in the making. 

In 2006, ARTech was given a grant to conduct a facilities study. The school consulted architects, engineers and students to determine the spatial needs of the school.  The grant work was carried out by ARTech’s Facilities Committee, of which Goodwin is a member. While the results of the grant research did not immediately lead to expansion, the committee later revised the work of the initial study. 

Once again, they turned to ARTech’s staff and students for feedback in order to identify and confirm the school’s spatial priorities. Additional classroom space was deemed the highest priority, and the committee’s decision to commit to ARTech’s current site and add an expansion rather than moving to a new location was finalized within the last 18 months. 

ARTech recently signed a new 10-year lease on their current property with their landlords, Bill and Tim Cowles, who have dedicated $385,000 to support the cost of the expansion. 

“They’ve committed to finance this project to help us get the school we want and need going forward,” said ARTech Director Simon Tyler. “It’s been a great collaboration and we’re really grateful for their commitment to the school.”

Also involved in the expansion are Peter Schmelzer, president and owner of VIVUSLLC Architecture + Design, , the Northfield Planning Commission and the Northfield City Council, which recently approved an amendment to the Conditional Use Permit for ARTech. 

The amendment approval involved the potentially problematic nature of stormwater runoff as a result of the expansion and the need for ARTech to incorporate the cost of building a storm water management system into their expansion plans. This need has since been addressed and accommodated by ARTech and their various associates in the expansion project.

Another accommodation included in the expansion plans is the installation of several solar panels as awnings on the south side of the building. 

“Schools are always looking for ways to enhance the facility and the learning environment for students,” said Tyler.

One way ARTech combines education and facilities is by using environmentally conscious solar energy. 

In 2008, ARTech installed several solar panels separately from the building on an independent pole as part of a student research project. However, because the expansion will encroach on this fixture, these panels will be reinstalled as part of the addition, along with an undetermined number of new solar panels. The expansion will also include the installation of in-floor heated tubing in the event that solar hot water panels are installed on the roof in the future.

Construction on the expansion will take place throughout the summer. It is anticipated that the majority of the construction will be completed just in time for the start of the new school year in September.