Briones Elementary School

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Briones Elementary School

4100 Orme

Built: 1952, 1954, 1969 (OH Center) 2003         

Total Site Area:

6.9 Acres

Building Area/Miscellaneous Circulation

2.4

Parking Area

2.1

Hard-Court Play Area

1.1

Turf Play Area

1.

Building Area:                          58,165 SF

Existing Classroom Size           930 to 1440 SF

2018/2019 Enrollment:           307

Briones Elementary School consists of six permanent single-story buildings arranged in an elongated L configuration around a central playground and field.  Briones was built in 1952.

The original buildings were the Administration building and the two classroom wings, constructed in 1952.  In 1954, the Multipurpose building was added.  In 1969, the large Juana Briones Orthopedic Center was constructed on the southern end of the site.  There are two relocatable buildings near the OH center housing Day Care facilities, and a single relocatable north of the lower classroom wing housing a single classroom.

In 2003 as part of the Building for Excellence program, a new Library building was constructed, in addition to complete renovation of the Classroom wings and the Administration building. Two new relocatables were added in 2005.

Needs Summary

The administration and multipurpose facilities are severely undersized and the site lacks enrichment labs.

Proposed masterplan projects include:

  • Demolition of existing admin, multipurpose and portable classrooms
  • Construct new multipurpose building with enrichment labs
  • Construct new admin building
  • Construct two enrichment labs and change use of classrooms in adjacent wing
  • Convert existing classroom into kindergarten
  • Add one classroom to existing classroom wing
  • Modernization of existing classrooms
  • A/C throughout
  • Exterior envelope improvements
  • Accessible playground

PAUSD plans air conditioning installation at all schools. In conjunction with the air conditioning work the campus will require energy efficiency upgrades including envelope improvements such as new doors and windows, as well as solar panel installation. Classroom modernization will also include an upgraded technology infrastructure and equipment including projectors and LED screens.

Site work includes new paving, accessible playground, and planting.

Facilities Conditions

The Briones site is very tight, both for play space and access to the school.  The school is located at the ends of Orme Ave. and Georgia Ave., with both streets leading to the parking lot on the northeast corner.  This causes congestion and safety problems for drop off and pick up times.  While the situation was improved during the Building for Excellence program, it is still a less than desirable layout.  The Orthopedic wing has a separate access and parking area. ADA site accessibility and parking was improved during Building for Excellence, bit the campus is not currently in compliance with ADA requirements.

The primary asphalt paving areas on campus were recently paved in 2006, and there are some smaller paved areas that need to be replaced soon.  The redtop areas under the canopy are cracked and heaving in some locations and will need to be replaced in the future.

The site sanitary sewer and domestic water lines feeding the campus are original and have never been replaced.  These lines should be evaluated and replaced if necessary.  Some portions of the fire water lines were installed during Building for Excellence, as was a new electrical service.  The gas service was replaced in 1977 and is run overhead exposed on the roof.  Site drainage systems are also original and should be evaluated and replaced if necessary.

The existing buildings on the Briones Elementary School campus are in generally good condition. The exception on the Briones campus is the Orthopedic wing, which had only minor cosmetic improvements made since its construction.

All of the buildings on campus have built up roofing, hollow metal doors and a painted stucco exterior.  The original windows were left in place, and include the original single pane glazing in most cases.  This is causing significant air infiltration and heat loss, which impacts the heating systems for the buildings during cold weather.  The campus also underwent restroom upgrades and voluntary seismic upgrades were undertaken for all the buildings and canopy structures, except for the Multipurpose building in 2005.

The campus has two major classroom wings that form an elongated ‘L’ configuration around the central play areas.  The classroom wings have large windows running the length of the exterior walls and have volume ceilings and clerestory windows in each classroom.  Toward the center of campus, each classroom opens below a large canopy, where picnic tables are arranged outside each classroom to serve as an outdoor learning area for each classroom space.

The classroom interiors were extensively modernized in 2005, with flooring, wall surfaces, markerboards, furnace units, lighting, power and data distribution.  Portions of the casework were replaced with new plastic laminate units, with the remaining casework left in place as painted wood.  The glue up acoustic ceiling tiles were either replaced or left in place, and painted to appear uniform, diminishing the acoustic qualities of the tiles.

A new 2,695 SF Library was completed on this campus in 2005. The Administration area was renovated with new roofing, flooring, casework and paint. Mechanical equipment, plumbing and lighting were replaced throughout.  However, the mechanical equipment on the roof is exposed, and is quite visible from the ground level. 

The Multipurpose building was only slightly modernized in 2005 with new flooring and a handicap lift, so it is due to be modernized or replaced.  The Multipurpose building at 2,666 SF is undersized for the planned campus capacity, and is inadequate for delivering food service for the campus.