Magnet School For the Arts

The Anoka Hennepin School District, faced with increasing enrollment, was looking for cost effective ways to consolidate schools while maintaining a high quality-learning environment. Area residents were concerned that a “typical” modular building would decrease property values. The project architect, ATS&R developed a design that included site-installed brick & horizontal lap siding to match the existing school and blend with the surrounding properties. The school district had a very aggressive, two and half month timeline for full project completion. This time-sensitive project schedule required cooperation from all parties involved. Our team worked with the school district in the past and the district was confident that we could work with the architect, school board, and modular manufacturer to accomplish the common goal.

The solution, developed by the architect and implemented by VESTA, combined the remodeling of an elementary school with the addition of a modular building to create the Anoka Middle School for the Arts, Washington Campus. The modular building includes classrooms for Art, Science, Social Studies, Music, Theater and Band along with mechanical rooms, technology rooms and restrooms. The building’s interior finishes mirror those of the existing building including painted gypsum walls, suspended ceilings, tiled floors and a sprinkler system.

Energy efficient features were included in the building to minimize the districts operational costs. High efficiency, natural gas, rooftop HVAC units were utilized to increase the energy savings in heating and cooling the building. These rooftop units also improved the appearance of the modular building making it more aesthetically pleasing to the surrounding community. All of the classrooms were outfitted with CO2 sensors and programmable thermostats. These additional features ensure quiet, comfortable, consistent airflow and optimal air quality, while allowing the district to control energy costs when the building is not in use. The district now has a visually appealing educational building as well as an exceptional learning environment, pleasing teachers, students and parents as well as the surrounding residential community.