Grosse Pointe Academy-Grosse Point Farms, Michigan
By: Jennifer Walker-Journey
The history of Grosse Pointe Academy is a humble one. The all-girls school was founded in 1885 on a wooded patch of lakefront farmland by the Religious of the Sacred Heart, a cloistered order of nuns founded in Post-Revolutionary War France. For more than 50 years, the property was a self-sustaining farm with a large chicken house and an abundance of apple, pear, and cherry trees, as well as grape arbors and raspberry bushes. The nuns and students, some of whom lived on campus, dined on seasonal fruits and applesauce, jams, jellies, and other condiments made by the nuns. With the exception of the construction of the Morgan Building for academics and renovations to the chapel in the 1920s, the buildings on campus remained relatively unchanged.
As the school neared the turn of the 21st century, school leadership sensed that Grosse Pointe’s old buildings were holding back academic progress at the school. Lighting was poor, and technology was out-of-date. Classrooms were too small to accommodate modern educational programs, and overall wear and tear was taking a toll on the luster of the dramatic gothic architecture.
Leadership believed the students deserved a better environment for learning, but didn’t want to sacrifice the rich history of the building. The school sought the council of Theo G. Pappas, AIA, LEED AP, executive director/principal with Fanning Howey architects, a firm of more than 260 professionals from nine regional offices in seven states.
The project began with master planning that focused on moving the academic building into the present day. That led to an interest in adding a Performing Arts Center. Head of school Phil Demartini and Pappas began working together. Pappas’ enthusiasm for the project was overwhelming, “and that morphed into a major renovation of the Moran Building,” Pappas said.
The challenge for Pappas was to renovate the interior while maintaining the integrity of the Moran Building’s gothic exterior. To make matters even more challenging, he was to do this without expanding the building’s footprint.
Designed in the 1920s by renowned architect Charles Donagh Maginnis, the striking, gothic Moran building served as the heart of the Grosse Pointe Academy campus and a symbol of the Academy’s long history and constant pursuit of excellence. Bringing it up-to-date involved a three-month planning process and a variety of stakeholders.
“The overarching goal was to improve the learning environment without giving up our past,” said board member Joseph DiMauro. “We put together a group of parents, board members, and teachers. We developed a priority list that included optimizing learning environments, enhancing security, and improving operational and energy efficiency.”
The project involved series of phases. The first phase included moving the existing performing arts program from the existing auditorium, located on the second floor, to the recently completed performing arts auditorium in the Tracy Field House Wing of the Academy. Next, the auditorium was renovated to serve as a library. Third, the former library on the first floor was demolished and reclaimed for use as educational space.
That provided “room to move” so that the design team could expand classrooms on the first floor, creating rooms that became 200 to 250 square feet larger than before. Those renovations upgraded classroom finishes, building and technology systems, and lighting. Classrooms were equipped with computers and plasma televisions with interactive whiteboards, along with new lighting systems with motion detectors to reduce energy usage and overall operating costs. The second floor included classrooms with two science labs and a new computer lab for large group instruction and exploration.
“The third floor, a former collection of cramped classrooms and storage spaces, was re-imagined as an airy art loft and expanded classrooms for foreign language and Christian life,” Pappas said. “Existing windows and skylights infuse the studios with natural light, while a gallery wall provides a place for students to display their work.”
The signature space within the building was the school’s former auditorium, which is now a dramatic library. A barrel-vaulted ceiling, restored ornamental wood arches, and detailed paneling give the space a richness and warmth. Refurbished pendant lighting brings out the character of the restored wood. Reference desks, study areas, and stack areas are arranged in an efficient pattern that supports small group instruction or individual research.
Restoration efforts also focused on existing windows, doors, flooring tile, and original cabinetry, many of which were restored in place. Where restoration was not possible, new cabinets were designed to match the school’s historic character. This allowed teachers and students to experience the building in new ways.
“It has brought new life to the whole building,” Demartini said. “There are windows that I never saw before. There are spots that I never paid attention to because they weren’t accentuated the way they are now.”
The renovations also made the building safer. A new glass wall system was installed in the main lobby to enclose the reception office, allowing staff to fully supervise visitor access to the main entrance. The entire building now has a sprinkler system, as well as a new elevator that is capable of transporting an entire class to any floor, including the previously inaccessible third floor art loft.
Since the project was completed, the Grosse Pointe Academy renovation project has won a 2008 Project Distinction Award from the Educational Design Showcase and a 2008 Impact on Learning Award for Historical Preservation from the Council of Educational Facility Planners International.
Fanning Howey is an award-winning architecture and engineering firm that works to strengthen connections within communities by creating vibrant places that reflect and embrace a sense of shared vision and purpose, www.fhai.com.
