Supporting History

Creative Solutions Save Denver's Dora Moore School

Denver Public Schools is bringing new life to its oldest school with the help of a $188,850 State Historical Fund grant.  The landmark, which has graced the corner of corner of 9th and Corona since 1889, was designed by Denver's first licensed architect, Robert S.  Roeschlaub a nd features a 1909 addition.  DPS has funded three major renovation projects, but in 2000 faced an estimated $1.3 million in repairs to the deteriorating façade, with only $1.1 million in bond funding.

Across the country, school districts with historic school buildings face similar dilemmas.  According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's publication, Why Johnny Can't Walk to School, factors such as conflicts between growth and school facility planning, state funding biases, inflated renovation costs, building code inflexibility, and deferred maintenance threaten these community resources.  However, the Dora Moore restoration project demonstrates that historic schools can be efficiently and economically saved for future generations of school children.

The project's success can be linked to several factors, including the makeup of the project team, a combination of craftsmanship and management, the application of creative and appropriate preservation techniques, and strong support from the school's administration, teachers, alumni, and the community.

Given a tight budget and complex project, DPS decided not to use the traditional competitive bid approach to select a contractor.  Instead, DPS selected a construction company to act as a Construction Manager, working with the project team from the beginning of the design process through project completion.  The project team includes DPS Project Manager Mark Guerrero, Construction Manager/General Contractor Wilderness Construction Co., window sub-contractor Spectrum General Contractors, Inc., and masonry sub-contractor Building Restoration Specialties, Inc.  The team solves problems in creative and efficient ways and educates the administration, teachers, and students on the work's value.

As previous Colorado History NOW articles demonstrated, there are a number of myths regarding the treatment of historic buildings.  The Dora Moore project shows that two of these myths-that old windows are not energy efficient and need to be replaced with modern windows systems, and that brick should be cleaned with abrasive methods-are not true.  The project also shows that the restoration of historic schools can be economical and can be carried out with minimal disruption to students.

Subcontractor Spectrum General Contractors, Inc. is repairing two-thirds of the windows in the original building and one-third of the windows in the addition (a total of 270 window openings).  Instead of replacing old windows with new ones, craftspeople will improve existing openings by reducing air infiltration, removing paint, and repairing deteriorated and damaged elements.  The number and size of the windows allows the cost of repairs to pay off quickly and saves resources by reusing materials rather than dumping them in a landfill.

The project team has found creative ways to carry out work without disrupting the school's occupants.  Typically, school projects require work to take place during the summer when school is not in session.  In order to allow windows to be removed and repaired in a workshop using an assembly line process, Spectrum General Contractors is using a vinyl greenhouse material, called Veralite, to cover window openings.  The material provides natural light to classrooms while maintaining weather protection.

Masonry contractor Building Restoration Specialties, Inc. used chemical treatments to remove paint from the historic masonry façade, and is repointing deteriorated joints and replacing damaged brick and stone.  Abrasive cleaning treatments would have damaged the soft brick material and would also pose a health and safety risk to students.  Also, the project team decided to use lifts to access the façade rather than scaffolding in order to create a safer environment.  Lifts can be stored securely when not in use and eliminate the need to anchor scaffolding to the façade.

Finally, the project has provided an important educational opportunity for students.  Dora Moore School has a history of student interest in history and historic preservation.  In 1975, students publicly defended the nomination of Dora Moore as a local landmark, and former students and parents have stood by the school for years, calling for its maintenance and continued use.  One of DPS's goals for this project is to use the project to teach students about architectural styles, construction, and restoration techniques.  In the SHF application DPS asserted, "Schools are often the largest structure in the neighborhood.  [They] serve as tangible symbols of the importance a community places on educating its children.  Preserving these structures offers today's elementary students a sense of connection to their past and to their community's past."  Restoring Dora Moore School is an example of how good project coordination, teamwork, and partnerships can create a successful historic preservation project that benefits students and the community.

BY ALYSON MCGEE, SHF Public Outreach Coordinator