Stacy Danielson Middle School

Design Aspects – One prominent middle school design  feature is the bleacher-like student union learning stairs. One end of these stairs includes handrails and is the thoroughfare for upstairs access. The cast-in-place bench portion of the stairs double as an overflow student seating area during adjoining auditorium events. Additionally, the unique stairs  function as a comfortable eating and visiting space where students can maintain social distancing, yet still enjoy a bonding experience while dining.

Technical Aspects – To meet the needs of a modernized world, the new facility includes secure entry vestibules with bullet-proof glass, bullet-resistant paneling, and extensive access controls. Similarly, the internal designated safety room walls are layered with two strata of extra thick plywood, bullet-resistant glass, upgraded structural steel, and increased-gauge hollow metal window and door frames.

Value-Managed Design – American Constructors suggested numerous structural modifications that resulted in substantial cost savings for Leander ISD. We eliminated the clerestory windows on both the upper and lower classroom wings and replaced them with standard roof deck ceiling systems. This alteration alone saved $130,000.

For the outside track, our team opted for asphalt in lieu of concrete or subsurface water mitigation, which saved $80,000. Other cost-saving structural revisions included deleting the Kalwall windows in the gym, replacing the acoustical composite floor decking systems with composite steel decking, and modifying the drilled pier foundations.