Benilde - St. Margaret's School
By: Frances Putman

Benilde-St. Margaret’s School has a long history in the Minneapolis area. St. Margaret’s Academy--a Catholic, all-girls school--was founded in the downtown area in 1907 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. In the late 1950s, Benilde High School, an all-boys school, was established by the Christian Brothers in St. Louis Park, a Minneapolis suburb.
  
In 1974, the two schools merged, with Benilde-St. Margaret’s, a co-educational high school, operating out of the old Benilde facility. In 1989, seventh and eighth grade classes were added to the school, located in a simple, non-descript building that had little aesthetic appeal or even gave much indication it was a religious school. Some classes, and even the chapel, were located in the basement, where the rooms received very little natural light.
  
Like most Christian schools, Benilde-St. Margaret’s operated with a limited budget, which meant repairs and updates were done when needed. However, major renovations were put on hold. 
  
In the late 1990s, school leaders hired the architectural firm of Armstrong, Torseth, Skold and Rydeen, Inc. (ATS&R) in Minneapolis to create a master plan. 
  
“They were putting money into the building, by adding lockers or repairing ceilings—just fixing some of the issues that you have with an older building,” said Dean Beeninga, AIA, partner in ATS&R and the project’s designer and architect. “But the group had the foresight to realize a plan was necessary.”
  
Because the 20-acre, urban site was landlocked, much care was taken in creating the master plan. With a needs assessment, it was determined the school needed about 25 percent more space, yet there was not much land to work with. 
  
The team took about eight months to complete the master plan, using the time to meet with administrators, teachers, parents, alumni, donors, students and even neighbors and others in the community. A careful assessment was made of the available space and how it could be used most effectively and efficiently.
  
Several years earlier, a family had donated funds for a new library, which was built on the highway side of the school and dedicated in the family’s honor. One suggestion for maximizing space and visibility was to tear down the library and put the new chapel in its place. Some wondered what the reaction would be, since a member of the family that donated the library was on the nine-member building committee.
  
“This person was so gracious and realized that the whole facility would be better served if the chapel was in that location. It was a real turning point in the project,” said Paul Snyder, AIA, architect and partner with ATS&R and the project manager. A new library was included as part of the new project and rededicated in the family’s honor.
  
Originally, the idea was to build out the master plan over a 20-year period in four phases.  However, excitement was generated by the plans, and the school ended up building what was to be the first three phases—originally a 15-year goal—all at once. 
  
The project included additions of a new chapel, library, 11 classrooms, an auditorium, and technology, art and music labs.
  
One of the primary goals of the project was to reach out to the community by increasing the school’s presence. That was largely achieved by taking the chapel out of the basement and moving it to the highway side of the school, where it is seen by thousands of motorists driving by each year. The 225-seat chapel has a 55-foot tower, with a 34-foot cross on it, reaching 67 feet into the air.
  
The chapel is an anchor and centerpiece of the school, with much of the daily activity taking place around it.
  
“Everything revolves around the chapel,” noted Beeninga. “A corridor wraps around it, keeping everyone in touch.”
  
Safety and security also was an important aspect of this project, and several steps were taken to secure the site. Administrative offices were reorganized around the main entrance, allowing better supervision. Visitors are only allowed to enter at the main entrance, into a secure vestibule, where they visit a service window located in the office before entering the main school areas.
  
“Security is becoming a huge issue, and more and more schools are creating some sort of security entrance,” Snyder said, noting this limits contact from outsiders.
  
Theater and music programs are strong at the school, and the new high-tech auditorium allows them to flourish. The stage from the old auditorium was rebuilt and used in the new 550-seat structure, which also includes catwalks with theatrical lighting, acoustical ceiling reflectors, a full control room for electronic technology and a work room for creating sets.
  
About 50 percent of the building’s exterior—once cold and rather uninviting—was replaced with warm, red brick, with concrete masonry units (CMUs) for accent. Lots of windows let in natural daylight, which was an important element of the project. A membrane roof was installed, with shingles placed on the existing sloped roof segments.
  
Wall construction was mostly steel stud, backed up with insulation and brick. Standard steel joists were used as well. Cavity wall construction was utilized on load-bearing walls, with CMUs used on the inside face of the walls and insulation in the cavities.
  
Vinyl composite tile, used throughout the older portions of the school, was continued in the new facilities as well, though enhanced with patterns and detailing. Carpet was installed in classrooms, which also feature acoustical tile ceilings and insulated windows.
  
Beeninga and Snyder suggest that schools considering a similar building project first take the time to develop a strong and comprehensive master plan. Seeking input from all involved is an important step in the process. And, this particular project was successful, they say, largely because of the committed volunteers involved in the building committee.
  
“We were dealing with real community leaders who made some outstanding decisions,” noted Snyder. “And, we ended up with friends.”
 
Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ATS&R, www.atsr.com, is a full-service architectural/engineering firm recognized nationally for its innovative and high-quality design of pre-K - 12 educational facilities.  ATS&R serves clients nationwide with its expertise in planning, architecture, mechanical and electrical engineering, site development, interior design, technology, and field administration. 

Fast Facts
School: Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
Location: St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Student Body: 1,100 students
Grades Served: 7-12
Project Goal: Renovate current school structure and add needed facilities. Also, increase school’s presence in the community and improve aesthetic appeal of a mostly non-descript building.
Size: Total school size is 155,000 square feet. Of this, 20,000 square feet was remodeled space, while 53,000 square feet was included in the new addition
Cost: $10.9 million
Challenge: To add 25 percent more space and improve daylight areas in the school while not overcrowding the land-locked site.
Solution: Developing a well-conceived master plan, taking a thorough inventory of needs and determining the best use of multi-purpose space. It also meant being open to new ideas.