Turning an abandoned Kmart into a school for 400 underserved students when another site fell through was a tall order for JGMA and McShane Construction. The big box store had no identity and no connection to the Waukegan community. The design-build team broke down barriers and developed a design that would inspire the students, faculty, administration and community while meeting the limited budget. JGMA used lighting studies to find the most advantageous places to punch openings and bring natural light in. Freed from traditional classroom configurations, JGMA principal Juan Moreno created flexible spaces for large and small classes using glass and light. All of the building’s original concrete floors were polished to reflect sunlight through the glass walls of its classrooms and science labs. JGMA and McShane kept the project within budget and delivered an adaptive reuse that benefits the community.

Photo courtesy JGMA