What’s going on in the Appoquinimink School District that’s getting so much attention?
Superintendent Dr. Matthew Burrows says the new “Fairview Campus proves that with good land planning we can minimize our impact on the environment, realize cost savings for taxpayers, and provide cutting-edge solutions and superior facilities to our students, staff and the community.” Under the leadership of former Superintendent Dr. Tony Marchio and Superintendent Dr. Burrows, the Appoquinimink School District undertook the task of creating a vision of what will become the model for future school development.
Interconnected Concept
The concept for this 4,000-student, pre-K to 12 campus created individual buildings that are interconnected with all other facilities on the campus. All classroom buildings have frontage on a central green. An inner loop road for parent drop-off of students is segregated from bus, staff, and student parking by directing those vehicles to an outer loop road. A single, dual lane entrance/exit controls vehicle access to the separated loop roads. The outer loop road provides direct access to the sports complex and the shared athletic fields, tennis courts, and a 3,000-seat stadium with LED lighting for night time events.
Reducing Bus Traffic
Most school development has traditionally been one school on one parcel of land, with associated bus routes. This type of development requires the expense of costly infrastructure improvements that only serve the one school. Redundant bus traffic is also created in neighborhoods and on local roads.
Innovative Parking Plan Saves 10 Acres of Parking!
A total of 2,856 parking spaces would be required for individual schools. But with a full campus facility, approximately 1,000 spaces could be eliminated given the ability to share parking and by striping bus parking areas for personal parking areas during peak night time events. That’s 10 acres of parking! The reduction in paving reduced the overall site construction cost and has a positive impact on the environment. The amount of stormwater flowing through treatment facilities will be reduced, and rainfall will naturally recharge the groundwater via larger lawn areas.
Infrastructure Savings
Additional cost savings were created by clustering the buildings around a central campus, allowing sewer, water and other utilities to be installed via central trunks from a single source.
Multidisciplinary Design Team
Landmark Science & Engineering was pleased to work with the owner and their multidisciplinary design teams led by ABHA Architects and ABHA/BSA+A JV, as well as the construction manager, EDiS Company.
