CREJ

36 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / December 2021 ELEMENTS High Altitude Design Remote Colorado School Requires High Altitude Design C onstructed in 1986 on the site of the original 1880s brick schoolhouse, the Lake City Community School is a PK- 12 school serving students in Hinsdale County School District RE-1 and is one of the earliest schools on Colorado’s Western Slope. It is also in an extremely mountainous and remote area, even by Colorado standards, with the Continental Divide crossing the county twice. In fact, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, Hinsdale County is the most isolated county in the contiguous United States. It is also described as “one of the most roadless areas in the country.” Despite all these challenges and remote location, the Lake City Community School is rated as one of the top public schools of the 178 school districts in the state and has been recognized as a John Ir- win School of Excellence several times by the Col- orado Department of Education. Although renovated and added on to over the de- cades, the aging school was in need of significant up- grades, with the lack of a gymnasium being the most significant issue. (It was the only public school in the state of Colorado without a gymnasium.) The lack of a gymnasium caused students to have to walk more than six blocks from the school to the downtown ar- mory for physical education. This posed significant safety concerns including the need for students to cross four intersections while enduring heavy tour- ist traffic and threats from local mountain wildlife. Inaddition, the Lake CityCommunity School alsohad critical security and health concerns to address. n Planning and design hand in hand with the community. Brought on board in late 2017, the de- sign team had to mobilize quickly as BEST Grant applications were due in just two short months. RTA helped the communi- ty settle on a cost-effective addition and renovation design that could priori- tize multifunctional ele- ments to enhance security, health and safety issues while still maintaining the character of the his- toric school site and the neighborhood. With the community united behind the plan and an approved BEST Grant that would fund 60% of the project now in place, voters ap- proved a $3.95 million bond to ensure funding for the community’s portion of the cost. Brian Calhoun, AIA, LEED AP BD+CE Principal, RTA Architects The simple and fresh blue and white color palette is found throughout the building, and local beetle-kill pine lines the ceilings in the building’s public areas. Durable cement board was used to recall board and batten siding, and the old school’s exterior brick walls were left exposed to reflect the feel of the National Register Historic District in which the school is located.