Manhattan Junior High School
Manhattan SD 114
Manhattan, IL
123,353-sf new school
Modular classrooms were becoming a fixture in this sixth-fastest growing community in Illinois. “We were renting six modular classrooms for every building, so we were really overcrowded,” a school administrator says. The district decided a new school was needed, and in June 2022, the community held a successful $85 million referendum campaign. After achieving a staggering 67% pass rate, the architectural team worked closely with the district to determine the direction of the project. “It was very collaborative from the beginning,” a district official says. “Key stakeholders were brought in for all areas of the project to make sure everyone got what they wanted.” Designed to hold up to 1,000 students, this 123,353-sf junior high school serves 6th through 8th grades, and will see every student pass through its doors. “With this new facility, the district regraded all four schools in the district so each one becomes a grade center,” the architect says.
OVER 50 YEARS OF ENHANCING NOW ENVISIONING FUTURES
The district purchased about 60 acres of vacant land directly east of its existing intermediate school. The property, which was not originally within village boundaries, had to be annexed into the village.
In total, the single-story school has 24 regular classrooms, 6 science classrooms, 3 resource rooms, 1 self-contained classroom; Spanish, art, music, and orchestra rooms; a learning commons with adjacent STEM classrooms, teachers' lounge and offices, a fitness center, and locker rooms.
Students enter the school through the multipurpose room ("the commons"), which primarily serves as a cafeteria and auditorium. A two-sided stage opens to the adjacent gymnasium and is equipped with theatrical lighting and acoustical panels.
The gymnasium includes retractable bleachers, multi-sport court, and a track around the perimeter of the space for physical education classes and afterschool events.
When students enter the learning commons, they are greeted with a raised ceiling with large pendant lights, creating a spacious yet welcoming environment.
Bucking traditional, fixed-front classroom models, the new classrooms utilize all four walls. Multiple technology access points and writing surfaces allow kids to collaborate anywhere.
The architect and construction manager collaborated early in the design process and were able to bid the project well within the referendum bond limit. This efficiency of design and construction has saved the district substantial funds for future expansion. In fact, additions are already planned for the gymnasium and administrative offices this fall.