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Montlake

Montlake Elementary Modernization and Addition Project

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Project Update

Major activity in March

  • Completed exterior stairs to rooftop play area, play surface for pre-K, and kitchen equipment.
aerial of a square block with an L shaped building, a playfield on a roof, and playground equipment
Aerial view – March 2025
aerial of a new grayish brick building adjoining a red brick building
New classroom addition – March 2025
green artificial turf on the roof of a brick building next to another brick building
Rooftop playfield on new gym – March 2025
a curved planting area next to a side walk in front of a brick building
Landscaping and sidewalk – March 2025
a large room with bookshelves and a counter
New library – March 2025
a kitchen area being set up
New kitchen – March 2025
a large room with a counter and windows
Administration office – March 2025

Major activity planned for April

  • Continue rooftop play area installation.
  • Continue interior finishes, carpet installation, and window installation.

Updates are posted for the previous month after the BEX/BTA Oversight Committee Meeting.

About the Project

The 2-story existing school building is a designated Seattle Landmark. The 22,447 square-foot landmarked building will be renovated and modernized.

The project design includes renovations to the existing landmarked building and construction of a new 3-story addition.

Funding Source

Building Excellence V (BEX V) Capital Levy, approved by Seattle voters in 2019.

Designed for current and future students

Once complete, the school will provide an equitable learning space for up to 500 K-5 elementary students. It will meet district educational standards while reflecting the input from the school design advisory team comprised of school leaders, students, parents, and community members.

The addition will be set into the site with a roofline height that respects the scale of the current school building and neighborhood.

  • Accessibility will be built in throughout the campus to ensure everyone can attend or visit the school.
  • Classrooms will be arranged with a variety of shared learning spaces to support academic success for every student.

Safety and security

Students, families, and visitors will be welcomed through a new entry plaza on the northeast side of the of the addition.

Visitors will enter through a single access point, the secure main entrance that invites them into the administrative office for check-in before entering the school.

Outdoor connections

New outdoor learning spaces will be constructed on the east side of the landmarked school building. A central play courtyard will provide a direct connection to the garden terraces. A second-floor learning and play terrace will directly connect to classrooms.

Building a sustainable future

Sustainable design features will be built in to work toward the
district goals for clean energy and renewable resources, including a high-performing building envelope and the installation of solar panels.

Temporary Move — 2023-24 and 2024-25 School Years

Montlake Elementary School has moved to the John Marshall School interim site, 520 NE Ravenna Blvd, during construction.

Timeline

construction phase graphic showing that the school is in the Construction phase
Learn what happens during these project phases
  • Pre-design phase complete
  • Schematic design complete
  • Design development phase complete
  • Construction documents/permitting phase in progress
  • Bid and award phase complete
  • Construction in progress
  • School opens Fall 2025

Construction Progress Photos

outdoor play equipment on a green artificial turf area with concrete paths outside of a building under construction
Play structure in place – Feb. 2025
a corridor with a glassed in room on one side and doorways down each side
3rd floor corridor in new addition – Feb. 2025
an empty classroom with built in cabinets and a wood floor
Classroom in historic building – Feb. 2025
a large room with cabinets wrapped in plastic on one side
Progress on the library in the addition – Feb. 2025
a hallway with multiple windows on each side and stairway coming up - at the far end, an arched window runs floor to ceiling
3rd floor breezeway between new and historic buildings – Feb. 2025
an empty classroom with cabinets and carpeted floor
Classroom in new addition – Feb. 2025
site work is being done in front of a red brick building as it joins up with a newer gray brick building
New main entrance promenade – Jan. 2025
a brick building has a concrete walk way with cutouts for future garden space
Historic building outdoor learning and garden – Jan. 2025
people are installing a play structure outside of a building under construction
Installing the play structure – Jan. 2025
looking down onto a roof with some materials stacked on it with construction work on the ground
New gymnasium with roof top play area – Jan. 2025
a concrete terrace outside a brick building with no windows has the structure for a ramp up one side
Ramp from outdoor learning terrace to roof top play – Jan. 2025
a room with cabinets being installed
Library circulation desk in the addition – Jan. 2025
a large room with shelves under the windows has carpet being installed
Installing carpet in a new classroom – Jan. 2025
brick building with trees in front and a building under construction attached
Looking southwest at the historic building – Sep. 2024
a window in a brick building
Historic window refurbishment – Sep. 2024
a large 3 story building under construction with gray material on the outside and trees next to it with green leaves
West side of new classroom building – Sep. 2024
a hallway under construction with a large fan on the floor
2nd floor hallway in new addition – Sep. 2024
a large room with sprinkler piping in the ceiling and construction work in progress
Gymnasium – Sep. 2024
a large room with a ceiling grid and partially covered windows
Ceiling grid in historic building classroom – Sep. 2024
part of a new building under construction with scaffolding
Windows and masonry being installed on new addition – Aug. 2024
part of a flat roof with a ladder and scaffold and a worker in a vest and hardhat
Roof on addition nearly complete – Aug. 2024
a wide hallway with an open ceiling and work lights
Painting and casework in landmarked building – Aug. 2024
a flat roof with some materials and a building on one side
Future rooftop play area on the gymnasium – Aug. 2024
a room under construction with windows on one side and built in cupboards on the other. ductwork and conduit is on the ceiling
Typical classroom in the historic building – June 2024
interior of a large space with high ceilings and an arched window. a scaffolding is set up and the walls have raw wallboard that is taped and mudded
Interior of the historic building with wallboard installed – June 2024
inside a hallway under construction with steel framed walls on each side and utility pipes and conduit showing
2nd floor hallway in the addition – June 2024
View of the top two stories and the mechanical penthouse of the new addition. below the 2nd floor windows, a large deck area is shown, which currently is holding construction materials
Floors 2 and 3 of addition with outdoor learning deck shown – June 2024
aerial with view of a concrete block building on the corner of the construction site with the new addition above it and part of the historic building to the right
Gymnasium construction progress – June 2024
aerial view of entire construction site showing historic brick building, new addition, gym construction in progress, and the surrounding neighborhood with the lake in the background
Entire site – June 2024
interior of a partially built wall and ceiling with a stairway being built by 2 workers
Interior stairway in the new addition – May 2024
a concrete block wall with space in front of it
New gymnasium building going up – May 2024
a construction site with a brick building forming an L with a new building. a partially built building is at the other end of the new building
Looking east with the concrete blocks for the gym being installed in the lower right – May 2024
a construction site with a brick building forming an L with a new building. a partially built building is at the other end of the new building
Looking north with the new addition at the top and the historic building to the right – May 2024
concrete footings and wood frames next to a building under construction
Concrete footing and forms for the gymnasium – Apr. 2024
part of a large building under construction with the second floor sticking out much further than the framed building and 3rd floor
Outdoor learning terrace on the addition – Apr. 2024
a large building under construction surrounded by streets
Addition to house administration, classrooms, and library – Apr. 2024
aerial of a brick building with an addition under construction. you can see a body of water in the background
View looking west with landmarked building in foreground – Apr. 2024
metal framing and wallboard in a hallway with copper pipes running across the ceiling space
Metal stud framing, wall board, and utilities on 2nd floor of landmarked building – March 2024
wet concrete covers the floor of a building with steel framing. workers in safety equipment are smoothing the concrete
Concrete deck poured on level 3 of the addition – March 2024
aerial view of a construction site with a brick building at the top and a new building being constructed at a right angle on the left side. a foundation is in progress in the lower right corner of the site dirt and construction equipment are in the remaining space
Gymnasium footings in progress, lower right – March 2024
aerial view of a construction site with a brick building to the right and a new building being constructed at a right angle attached to it in the upper part of the photo. dirt and construction equipment are in the remaining space
Looking north showing steel in place and metal decking installation – March 2024
2 people stand on a steel-framed structure
Ironworkers await the final beam – Mar. 7, 2024
a person in a safety jacket and hard hat leans forward to write on a white painted steel beam
Project Manager Paul Wight signs the final beam – Mar. 7, 2024
a short person and a tall person wear construction safety vests and hard hats while standing in front of part of a steel beam painted white. handwriting on the beam says "thank you SPS voters, Julia Pearson"
Montlake Principal Julia Pearson and Capital Projects and Facilities Director Richard Best at beam signing – Mar. 7, 2024
2 people stand on a red, white, and blue beam on one corner of a steel framed structure. they are shaking hands. an evergreen tree is on one end and a United States flag is on the other.
Congratulatory handshake on placement of final beam – Mar. 7, 2024
2 people on top of a steel structure on each side of a red, white and blue beam that has an american flag and an evergreen tree on it
Ironworkers bring the beam into place – Mar. 7, 2024
a steel beam is being slung into place at the top of a steel framed building by a crane . Two people wait on top of the existing structure
Flying in the final beam – Mar. 7, 2024
a group of people in construction safety vests and hats stand in front of a steel beam with a steel framed structure behind
Project crew with the final beam – Mar. 7, 2024
a long room with rafters showing and a concrete wall next to some windows
Concrete sheer wall for seismic upgrades in the landmarked building – Feb. 2024
a steel framework for a 3 story building with a crane partially showing in the foreground
Steel erection for the new addition – Feb. 2024
aerial showing a rectangular brick building with construction happening behind it including a crane
Looking east with the landmarked building in the foreground and the new steel structure in progress behind – Feb. 2024
aerial view of a construction site surrounded by streets and houses with a lake and a stadium in the distance
Looking north with Husky Stadium in background – Feb. 2024
an excavator sites on dirt with a trench that has wide concrete forms with rebar and concrete pump nozzle leading into it.
Pumping concrete into concrete footing forms with rebar – Dec. 2023
at brick building with boarded up windows sits in a construction site with a concrete wall in front
Concrete retaining wall complete on west side of historic building – Dec. 2023
aerial view of a construction site with a brick building at one end and a view of a lake in the distance
Aerial site view looking northwest – Dec. 2023
rebar trench next to a brick building
Concrete form work and rebar placement for new footing – Nov. 2023
inside of a building partially torn up with posts and beams with some windows covered in wood and some open
Interior demolition on the first floor of the landmarked building – Oct. 2023
a brick building has wood in the window holes and construction next to it
Concrete forms and rebar for new footing next to historic building – Oct. 2023
aerial view of a construction site next to a building
Aerial view in October 2023
a construction site with material on the ground
Excavation on the south side of the building – Sept. 2023
a brick building with construction in progress on the outside
Shoring the existing west side of the school – Sept. 2023
a two story brick building has windows on the top floor. an excavator is sitting below it on a concrete pad with only two walls remaining. a dumpster is next to the concrete
Demolishing the old gym where it attached to the landmarked building – August 2023

Current Designs

These images show architect’s drawings of how the new school might look.

architect's drawing of a large interior space with a stage and some round tables
Potential view of the commons and stage-Oct 2022
a site plan drawing of a u-shaped building with a courtyard
Site plan for proposed addition and existing building – Oct. 2022
architect's drawing of a brick building with a side walk and garden
Architect’s drawing of the new entrance – June 2023
architect's drawing of a brick building with a courtyard and playground equipment
Architect’s drawing of play area – June 2023

Community Participation

Capital Projects and Planning, the architectural firm, and eventually, the construction team use multiple opportunities to share information and collect feedback on school construction projects. Read about the engagement done during the two-year planning process for the Montlake Elementary modernization and addition project.

School Design Advisory Team (SDAT)

Early in the design process, representatives from the school community come together to form a school’s SDAT. SDATs typically include school and district staff, parents, and community members. Students are sometimes included for all or part of the process. The project construction managers also take part. Learn more about the Montlake Elementary School SDAT.

Project Team

Design Firm: DLR Group

General Contractor/Construction Management Firm (GC/CM): Skanska

Project Manager: Paul Wight, pdwight@seattleschools.org, 206-252-0648

Contact

For questions or comments about the project, please use our online feedback form

Montlake Elementary School
2409 22nd Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112