Project Overview
In an era where new suburban schools are built on large tracts of land and many historic inner-city schools are closing, Alexander II stands apart in exemplifying a commitment to neighborhood redevelopment and preservation of historic structures.
The original Alexander II Elementary School was first occupied in 1904 and has served as a school for more than a century. It sits adjacent to the Intown Neighborhood Historic District, Tattnall Square Park, and Mercer University. Also adjacent is Tattnall Place, a 97-unit mixed-income multifamily development that was also designed by BTBB and has become a key element of the broader Beall’s Hill neighborhood redevelopment.
Additions to the school were built at various times throughout the 1900s. These additions were demolished to make room for the new facilities, but the original eight-classroom building was retained and renovated – and is still in use today as it’s been used for more than a hundred years. An addition of 57,000 square feet houses the remaining school facilities, including lab spaces to support the school’s STEM magnet program.
The addition was designed to maintain a lower profile, allowing the original building to maintain its prominence on the site. Subordinate wings adjacent to the original building reflect and complement many of the historic façade’s architectural elements.