McKinley Tech: A Lesson in Perseverance

When declining enrollment forced McKinley Technical High School to close its doors in 1997, vandals and drug dealers frequented the historic structure in Northeast Washington, DC, pushing the building further into disrepair. The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) stepped in to reclaim the facility, gutting the dilapidated interior in July 2001 to make way for modern, high-tech classrooms and labs, where motivated, hand-picked students could pursue careers in biotechnology, information technology, and broadcast production.

Led by DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams, DCPS partnered with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, to revive the 282,000 square-foot building and selected KCI Technologies to head the construction management team for the $75 million restoration. “McKinley was in deplorable condition when we got here,” recalls KCI Project Manager Karim Moore, PE, “The biggest challenge was to keep the demolition on track, while preserving the historic integrity of the building. Some of the architectural elements date from 1928. So, while gutting most of the interior, we salvaged some of the building’s amazing features, like the old terrazzo flooring and decorative plasterwork in the auditorium. We also relied heavily on KCI’s industrial hygienists, who worked with the Corps to remove asbestos and other materials during the preliminary phase,” said Moore.

After completing the demolition and replacing windows throughout the site, Moore and the contractors turned to exterior repairs and retrofitting the electrical; heating ventilation, and air conditioning; plumbing, sanitary sewer; information technology; fire protection; and security systems. KCI Vice President and Contract Manager Scott Lang, PE, notes, “Beyond the complexities of updating McKinley Tech’s existing systems, the cornerstone of the project was integrating a digital infrastructure to allow access to data and video in 42 classrooms, five chemistry labs, the library, auditorium, art and broadcasting studios, and many other locations.

“Mayor Williams and DCPS envisioned McKinley Technology High School as the hub of a pioneering technology campus for the entire City, and when the school opened its doors again to 800 students in September, we knew the project team succeeded in making that vision a reality.”

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