Schools
District Celebrates Completion of High School’s Renovation
Students showcase their talents at ribbon cutting ceremony for $10.5 million construction featuring state-of-the-art music facilities.
The community gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday to celebrate the completion of Garden City High School’s $10.5 million, 30,000 square foot expansion and renovation.
School administration, community leaders, representatives of BBS Architects, construction manager T.G. Nickel & Associates and parents toured the high school’s new state-of-the-art music rehearsal facilities and renovated interiors.
The ceremony included performances by the school’s chamber choir, chamber strings and orchestra in classrooms designed for the size and acoustical needs of these groups.
Led by superintendent of schools Dr. Robert Feirsen attendees included NYS Sen. Kemp Hannon, NYS Regent Roger Tilles, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, NYS Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, Garden City mayor Donald Brudie and BBS president and lead architect Roger P. Smith, AIA, LEED AP.
The project was financed through the $36.5-million construction bond, approved by voters in a referendum held in 2009.
Dr. Feirsen extended thanks to the community, BBS president Smith, project manager Gary Schiede, board of education member Angela Heineman and all the workers involved in this tremendous undertaking.
“This was accomplished during the worst economic times since the Great Depression," said Feirsen. “Thankfully, our community embraced the need for this expansion.”
Garden City High School principal Nanine McLaughlin added, “We are thrilled to have the new music addition. It is a state-of-the-art facility, which our music students and faculty are making the most of.”
“The project, designed by BBS, called for construction of a new music wing; site and roadways improvements; replacement of the roof; construction of new bleachers; and 20,000 square feet of interior renovations and re-programming to the preexisting building,” explained BBS project manager Gary Schiede.
The new music rooms provide dedicated, well-equipped and large rehearsal spaces for each music program. The new spaces feature Kinetics Noise Control fabric-wrapped acoustic ceiling panels along with sound and recording systems.
The music wing is adjacent to the original school building at the location of the old music rooms, which were converted into general classrooms. The interior renovations included reorganization of the entire school’s layout.
BBS consolidated the faculty and service staffs’ offices and the departments within the school, which increased space efficiency and convenience for the students. The site work focused on increasing student safety in the drop-off and pick-up areas as well as improving parking facilities.
“We’ve created an outstanding space for our growing and award-winning music program,” Dr. Feirsen said. “The redesign of the building interior provides our students with twenty-first century spaces ... and creates a safer school environment.”
Smith added, “It’s great to create spaces for kids and to know our work will help them make better music."
