Gilbane Building Company Celebrates Ribbon Cutting of DC Bilingual Public Charter School
Washington, DC – October 2022 – On October 21, 2022, officials from the DC Bilingual Public Charter School joined representatives from Gilbane Building Company and Hord Coplan Macht to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of the 27,000 SF addition to DC Bilingual’s Ward 5 campus in Washington, DC.
Designed by Hord Coplan Macht, this phased-occupied modernization project included an addition to the existing building, which expanded its current campus and increased student capacity to more than 700 students. Improvements and upgrades to the campus include age-appropriate classrooms and furniture, an expanded gym and updated art and music spaces. New spaces include an art studio, culinary and computer labs, a bilingual library, breakout instruction areas and student support areas for intervention, testing and mental health.
This project provided DC Bilingual students with improved spaces for indoor and outdoor play, featuring an expanded gym and outdoor playgrounds. Flexible collaboration spaces include a larger stage and retractable wall in the updated gym, indoor multipurpose areas and a variety of new workspaces for teachers and staff. The LEED Gold school not only prioritizes positive impacts on health and well-being, but safety as well. Heightened security measures include streamlined entry points, a new sidewalk around the parking lot perimeter and a new traffic pattern.
“A student’s learning environment is often integral to their academic experience,” said Matt Sarver, vice president at Gilbane Building Company. “We are proud to bring this modern learning environment to DC Bilingual Public Charter School to help them further their mission to build a learning community that ensures high academic achievement for all students in both Spanish and English, develops leadership, and values all cultures.”
In celebration of the ribbon cutting and Construction Inclusion Week, Gilbane Building Company provided a gift of books to help fill out their new library space and presented to DC Bilingual Public Charter School’s third-grade students on Wednesday, October 19. This presentation was a part of Construction Inclusion Week’s “Welcome to the Class of 2032” community engagement initiative. Gilbane Building Company visited Title 1 schools across the Mid-Atlantic to provide construction career presentations and activities for third-grade students — inspiring the next generation of builders.
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 46 office locations worldwide. For more information, visit www.gilbaneco.com.
About DC Bilingual Public Charter School
Founded in 2004, DC Bilingual provides an innovative dual immersion 50/50 Spanish and English learning program for all students. Through our rigorous academic curriculum, visual and performing arts, culinary and gardening, technology, and athletics programs, and our celebration of diverse cultures, DC Bilingual students learn the skills and values they need to become well-rounded, influential participants in their community. Currently, DC Bilingual serves more than 500 students from PK3 to 5th grade from across the District, a majority of which reside in Wards 4 and 5. As ranked by the DC Public Charter School Board, DC Bilingual is a Tier 1, high-performing school. For more information, visit www.dcbilingual.org.