Owen J. Roberts School District: District Administration Offices at the Warwick Building

This school was built as a two-room community school in 1927. It was enlarged to eight classrooms with a wrap around addition in the early 1930’s. A 1940 addition expanded the building to include a gymnasium with lower level locker rooms. The facility was used exclusively as an elementary building when Owen J. Roberts School District was formed. In 2001 the students were moved into a nearby elementary school which had been recently enlarged and renovated.

The program required the facility to be handicapped accessible on two floor levels, and accommodate over 40 staff members, include a variety of conference rooms to accommodate 5 – 75 people, training classroom / training computer lab, computer repair room, technology storage, District server, District file storage, staff lounges and toilets. New mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems were required as well as a fire suppression system. The site was developed to provide adequate parking and storm water improvements to handle future potential development of the site.

This extreme renovation project is an example of an “adaptive re-use” of a school building. All floors were replaced to create (2) two floor levels in what used to be (8) eight levels without significant changes to the exterior of the building. Township zoning required that the facility look the same after the renovation. In addition, the technology area on the lower level is located on top of an active spring. This level was designed with a waterproofing and sump pump system.

Principal, Project Architect:
Jeffrey D. Chambers
NCARB, AIA, REFP, LEED AP

Project Costs: $3,914,156.00

Year(s) of Service: 2001-2004

Contact: Mr. Dennis T. Rozak, Coordinator of Operations & Maintenance (610) 469-5125