How will new Pipkin, Reed schools look? Architects offer preview

Architects and engineers have spent months designing a new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy for Fine and Performing Arts.

They met repeatedly with district officials, middle school teachers and support staff, as well as school board members with expertise in real estate and project management.

At an Aug. 22 meeting, the board — and, by extension, the public — received the most detailed update so far on how each will look once complete.

The $220 million bond issue approved in April includes $53 million to construct Pipkin on a larger campus and $59.4 million to construct Reed on its original campus.

With Reed operating out of the old Jarrett building on South Jefferson Avenue, the empty structure at Atlantic Street and Lyon Avenue is expected to be demolished this fall.

A final decision on the Pipkin campus has not been announced but the board has given no indication publicly that it plans to deviate from its preferred location in the 3200 block of East Pythian Street.

Another update is expected this fall with both projects tentatively expected to break ground in January and take two years to construct.

Plans call for the 128,900-square-foot building to serve 725 students in grades 6-8. There will be 21 core classrooms, six science combo labs and two collaboration spaces.

The layout includes 23,620 square feet for the performing arts including two rooms each for choir and world dance and one each for band and orchestra. There is also a multi-purpose auditorium with a stage, sound booth, storage and seating for 450 people.

"It has retractable seating so with a flat floor it can be used for many functions," said Bonnie Crawford, project manager with Sapp Design Architects. "That is also our safe room space so where both students and community will come during storm events."

The school will also include three art and media spaces including a designated art classroom, a library and a media broadcasting classroom and lab.

"We've met with the staff at Reed. We gained really valuable feedback," said Kristi Beattie, partner with Sapp Design Architects.

Beattie said a geotechnical report of the existing campus showed the existence of rock, common in Missouri, and a need to further test soil quality.

"The geotechnical report was very telling. We realize that we may have to remove and replace a portion of the soils on site," she said. "That was helpful. Every step we've taken has been more information. At this point, I don't anticipate major surprises."

The design calls for the two-story Reed to take up a large part of the compact property but parent pickup and drop off, which had been on the street, will be moved onto the campus.

Plans call for the 114,750-square-foot building to serve 550 students in grades 6-8. There will be 15 core classrooms, three science labs and two collaboration spaces.

Pipkin is an International Baccalaureate World School.

Lindsay Reichert, a project manager with Paragon Architecture, said the team "met with staff and administrators at the facility and worked to refine and revise" the spaces required in any district middle school.

"You will notice some changes, specifically on our flex program spaces. That actually went up from about 8,000 square feet to a little over 10,000 square feet. We actually added three additional classrooms," she said.

More:These 'high-priority' school security changes aim to make Springfield students safer

As a result of input from teachers, the layout includes 4,200 square feet for special education including a functional skills area and three spaces for small group instruction.

"That also grew from about 3,000 square feet to about 4,200 square feet of programming," she said.

The performing arts area includes separate space for choir, orchestra and band.

The physical education space includes a gym, lockers, weight room, concessions and multipurpose space separate from the cafeteria and kitchen.

Reichert said the main entrance is expected to be on Pythian Street, if the district's preferred location is used, with staff parent and parent pickup and drop off on the north side of the building.