Year: 2017-2020

Project Owner: City of Hartford

Project Client: Downes Construction

Project Cost: $87 Million

This multidisciplinary project transformed the former Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and Breakthrough North Magnet Elementary into a unified 11.5-acre PreK-8 campus for the 2020 academic year. Freeman facilitated the design and reimagining of the facility, which includes a new two-story addition on the east side, enclosing a courtyard with preschool and elementary playgrounds.

Parking and roadways were reconfigured to accommodate the updated program and emergency access, addressing street closures for bus drop-off and pick-up. The $86.5 million project restored the historic structure to as-new condition while preserving key architectural and programmatic elements, such as the brick and stone facade and the auditorium with a balcony.