The New School of Social Justice at the Historic Long Branch High School

Design Team: William J. Pappalardo (Managing Partner); James D. Kavanagh, AIA (CEO/Managing Partner)

The Long Branch Historic High School was envisioned as a Civics and Social Justice Academy. The classrooms are set up in debating format to discuss national and global topics. The school also has a gymnasium, auditorium with a stage for music and performances, a demonstration science lab to discuss and debate climate sciences, and a cafeteria with a cyber café-style environment.

Public support for the project was virtually unanimous; the base design included allowances for community use of the gymnasium for Police Athletic League activities, use of the historic auditorium by local community groups, and space to provide adult education classes for the immigrant population.

The project was developed in three phases from June 2015 to June 2019:

•Phase 1: Renovation of the first floor and basic building systems through a $3,900,000 grant from the New Jersey School Development Authority and district capital improvement funds

•Phase 2: Interior demolition that used the district’s capital Improvement funds

•Phase 3: Renovation of the basement and second floor and completion of all building systems, including restoration of the building envelope, using funds from a $6,940,000 bond referendum.

The project was developed with an eye to sustainability by repurposing the historic high school, rather than demolishing it. The district believed the building and its beloved clock tower needed to be preserved as part of the fabric of Long Branch.

“A school is the anchor of the community,” says Ann Degnan, C.E.F.M., facilities manager, for Long Branch Public Schools. “The transformation of our 95-year-old building into a state-of-the-art learning center is another milestone to providing the best opportunities for our students to learn. Making school an aesthetically vibrant and environmentally friendly place—the ultimate goal of all of those involved with Long Branch Public Schools—helps instill in our students a sense of wonder for learning.”

The challenges were to completely restore the exterior to the original grandeur of the gothic collegiate-style 1925 public works project, while completely replacing and modernizing its building envelope and building systems (mechanical, plumbing, electric, low-voltage systems, and fully automated fire suppression), and to maintain the original wood doors, transoms, internal windows and trim throughout. The grande dame of the building was the impeccably restored and modernized auditorium, including the gold leaf declaration: “The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.”

“As a small company, JBA lent decades of experience to this project, providing designs and solutions that met district needs being mindful of the project’s budget constraints,” says Degnan. “Additionally, JBA partnered with a strong base of professionals to assist in the investigation and design that goes into the unique challenges of restoring a historic building for modern use.”

Additional Information

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