Chardon Local Schools Rohr Tennis Center Opens

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Chardon Local Schools Rohr Tennis Center Opens
Chardon Local Schools opened the Rohr Tennis Center, a six-court facility, funded by a $1.2 million anonymous donation and district resources. Named after retired teacher Marilyn Rohr and her husband, the center provides student-athletes enhanced access to quality practice spaces without the need for off-site travel.

Chardon Local Schools Rohr Tennis Center Opens

On August 11, 2026, Chardon Local Schools opened the Rohr Tennis Center, marking a huge step forward for the district’s athletic programs. Situated on the connector drive between Chardon Middle School and the High School, this six-court facility gives student-athletes a state-of-the-art home for tennis.

The $1.39 million project was made possible through an anonymous $1.2 million private donation and covers the cost of construction for the six regulation-sized courts. At the same time, the district provided funding for an adjacent dedicated 31-space parking lot.

Chardon Local Schools Rohr Tennis Center Opens

The site features a ten-foot security fence, stormwater management system, and controlled access to keep play safe. Named in honor of retired chemistry teacher Marilyn Rohr and her husband, Michael, the facility is a step forward for ongoing capital improvements in the district.

For Hilltopper student-athletes, the new facility allows for an enhanced experience on the school campus. Having these courts at this location eliminates the need for off-site travel, giving student-athletes direct access to high-caliber practice spaces during and after school hours. The professional surface quality ensures the proper ball bounce and player traction, allowing students to focus on skill development, sportsmanship, and topper spirit.

Beyond high school competition, the venue serves the broader public, offering community access during non-school hours and allowing the city to repurpose older district courts near the municipal pool for pickleball in the future.

Project Highlights
  • Facility Name: Rohr Tennis Center
  • Location: Situated between the Middle School and High School
  • Key Features: Six regulation courts, 31-space parking lot, 10-foot perimeter fencing
  • Funding: $1.2M private donation + school district parking infrastructure

Chardon Local Schools Aerials
Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.
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Chardon Local Schools’ Success Story

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Chardon Local Schools' Success Story
The Chardon Local Schools' Success Story spotlights how an unoccupied trucking depot one mile from Chardon High School became the perfect location for the school district's new Business Affairs Transportation Center. By renovating two preexisting buildings and implementing effective use of the entire six-acre plot, they consolidated their critical business services into one efficient location, which now better serves the Chardon community.

Chardon Local Schools' Success Story

When Chardon Local Schools first planned to consolidate their service operations and separate the transportation and maintenance departments from the high and middle school campus, they had no idea the perfect solution was just around the corner.

A long-dormant six-acre trucking depot one mile from Chardon High School wound up being the ideal location for the school district’s new $7 million Business Affairs Transportation Center. Two preexisting buildings stood at the back of the lot on Washington Street. The wooden pole building was 7,000 SF, and the other was 14,000 SF. These viable structures presented a unique opportunity to drastically improve district functions and efficiency.

The school district was able to consolidate multiple departments into one renovated location, including transportation, business operations, maintenance, information technology, food services, and warehousing. The four acres in front of the buildings provided adequate space for a reinforced bus fleet parking lot, a state-of-the-art industrial fueling station, and an off-the-road bus driver training area.

“This new facility is the most significant capital improvement project that our district has undertaken in over a decade,” said Superintendent Dr. Michael Hanlon, Jr., Ph.D.

“I think this is a true success story because we found a location close to the high school with two buildings that suited our needs,” he said. “We could finally centralize the services for Chardon Local Schools to better meet the needs of our community, and give the transportation department a stable home.”

Chardon Local Schools Business Affairs Transportation Center

Many Solutions in One Location

The transportation department moved into its new permanent location before the start of the school year in August 2025, and Building A, which houses Business Affairs and the other departments, became occupied in December 2025. The outdoor ribbon cutting ceremony and indoor community tour took place on the frigid evening of December 15, 2025.

The new Business Affairs Transportation Center allows Chardon Local Schools the ability to consolidate critical business services into one location. The 14,000 SF “Building A” hosts the business affairs offices, the district maintenance department, central delivery and storage, the IT workshop and storage, workshop areas, mezzanine storage, a flexible multipurpose room, staff meeting areas, and a covered loading dock at the front.

The 7,000 SF “Building B” in the back was renovated to house the bus maintenance bays and shop. A dedicated bus lift and a mobile lift system grant mechanics easy access underneath vehicles. Along with tool storage, the shop has a pneumatic air system that connects to specialized tools.

The space between the buildings and Washington Street has a reinforced bus and district vehicle parking lot, an industrial diesel and gas fueling station, an outdoor snow scraper for heavy winter snow, and the off-the-road bus training area.

To build and coordinate construction, ThenDesign Architecture partnered with Millstone Management Group, which served as the Construction Manager-At-Risk.

“The new facility is a big success because it solved bigger problems,” said ThenDesign Architecture Project Manager Jeff Henderson, RA, NCARB. “For the past 50 years or so, the buses have been on a gravel lot directly behind the high school. This created traffic and safety issues. The maintenance and storage spaces were inadequate, but they did the best they could with two bays in a tiny garage,” Jeff said. “And they had different departments scattered here and there.”

Jeff continued, “Not only did they consolidate their operations, but they’re making the mechanics happy, the drivers happy, and the parents happy by giving them some traffic relief at drop-off and pick-up times. The dynamics around the school have changed already. This one project really solved a lot of problems.”

“It’s gotten us from out behind the high school,” said Chardon Local Schools Director of Transportation Josh Nau. “It has greatly improved our communication and operational efficiency, which makes us better equipped to take care of all our vehicles.”

The improved facility also helps to serve others in partnership with Chardon Local Schools. There is an increased capability to subcontract vehicle maintenance for other school districts that may lack adequate facilities, staff, and funds to service their own vehicles.

Josh explained, “We provide services to Cardinal Local Schools. Their buses and vans come up here for not only maintenance, but also inspections and repairs. A better facility means better service and greater capacity.”

Dr. Hanlon explained to the ribbon cutting and tour guests that the old space behind the high school could comfortably fit two vehicles inside the bays, but the new building can now fit up to nine vehicles at the same time. The school district has a $3.6 million vehicle fleet that requires maintenance and repair year-round.

“We are grateful for the new toys,” said Mechanic Frank Casalinuovo, “We are now able to lift buses to do services and can work on three or four a day. We’re more efficient now, making sure the fleet is running safely for the students.”

"One location now serves the district, the school services departments, and the community. All in one place."
Jeff Henderson, RA, NCARB
TDA Project Manager

Chardon Local Schools' Success Story: The New Business Affairs Transportation Center

An Ideal Location with Ideal Circumstances

“This whole place was kind of perfect for what they needed,” said Jeff. “There was this six-acre parcel in the middle of Chardon that was a leftover truck terminal for years with two large buildings and lots of open space. It lent itself to exactly what was needed. It was the ultimate puzzle piece that fit so well.”

Jeff explained the technical aspects of the location and preexisting buildings and how the new facility design adapted to fit. “The smaller structure was a 50-year-old wooden pole building of about 7,000 SF. We converted that into the mechanic’s bay. The bigger one was about 14,000 SF, so we were able to consolidate the maintenance and other departments into a single building.

“We did a structural analysis, and the buildings were in really good condition. There weren’t a lot of significant updates. We added some structural support members. We sprayed insulation foam, the offices have normal heating and cooling, and the central storage and maintenance areas have gas fire radiant heaters. That’s all pretty standard stuff. Now, it’s drywall, ceilings, heating, and cooling. It’s all upgraded, and you wouldn’t know it was an old building because it looks like a brand new building.

“They were basically empty shells that we planned out. We built inside the frames of the original buildings, with the exception of the shipping dock at the front of Building A. A semitruck can pull up and offload deliveries that the district can either send out to the schools or place into warehouse storage.

“Since we met the modern energy codes and other regulations, the buildings are as environmentally sustainable as they can be. Things like insulation, LED lighting, and stormwater drainage make the location efficient. Even though we don’t get LEED certification, we get the LEED performance from those systems.”

Jeff continued, “One of the biggest things we had to do was tear out the entire floor of the smaller building because we needed to add proper drainage and a slope. Since we had to do all this work anyway, the district decided to add underfloor radiant heating, which is really cool. When buses come in from the snow or rain, they drip. Since the bus garage is heated from the floor and not units 16 feet up, it creates an even heat that dries the floor pretty quickly. The staff should love it because for a maintenance bay, it’s pretty comfortable in there even when it’s cold outside.”

Jeff concluded, “The new facility is a Cadillac compared to the old one. The buildings were the right size. The lot was the right size. The location was in the right place. The price was right, and the timing was right. You couldn’t ask for a better fit.”

“A project of this scope, especially taking two existing buildings and renovating them, would not be possible without so many people working to make it a reality,” Dr. Hanlon said. “The importance of this project is being able to truly maintain the taxpayer investment in a consistent and professional manner. This facility enables us to do that.

“This is now a permanent home for all those key business operations offices that provide services most people don’t see. But, they’re integral for us to deliver on the commitment of our mission of high achievement for all students. The new Business Affairs Transportation Center enables each of those offices to professionally deliver core services every day that are so important to our students and our staff.”

Chardon Local Schools’ new Business Affairs Transportation Center is a success story that has only just begun.

"I'm really pleased with the outcome of this project and the ability to centralize the services for Chardon Local Schools and meet the needs of our community."
Dr. Michael Hanlon, Jr., Ph.D.
Superintendent

Business Affairs Transportation Center Construction & Tour
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

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Fairport Harbor Village: A Small Town with a Big School

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Fairport Harbor Village: A Small Town with a Big School
Fairport Harbor Village is a small town with a big school. The one-square-mile community voted to pass a bond issue to help fund a new PreK-12 campus on the existing Harding High School site to replace the century-old buildings the district had been using. Residents and local officials came together in December 2025 to celebrate its opening at the ribbon cutting ceremony and took a tour of the new school.

Fairport Harbor Ribbon Cutting for the New PreK-12 Campus

The Village of Fairport Harbor, situated along the shores of Lake Erie, Ohio, is a 1.11 square-mile town with a population of about 3,100 people and is home to the Marine Museum and its iconic 1825 lighthouse.

Despite their century-old buildings, the school district of this small village had big ideas for the betterment of their students, with an ambitious plan to update the existing educational facilities to provide an inspiring, top-tier learning environment that would promote collaboration and be adaptable to meet personalized student needs.

The community voted to pass a $5 million bond issue in November 2021 to help fund a new 116,000 SF PreK-12 school campus on the existing Harding High School site, which would replace their aging elementary and middle-high school buildings. State funding through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) covered the remainder of the $50 million construction project cost.

With the groundbreaking ceremony in May 2023 behind them, the Fairport Harbor Exempted Village School District hosted a grand opening celebration in December 2025 for students, staff, community members, and local officials. Residents enjoyed the Fairport Harbor ribbon cutting ceremony and a tour of the new PreK-12 school.

A Historic Celebration

Filling student dining, the observation stands, the staircase, and the second-floor overlook, the local community packed into the new school to show their support for this notable occasion in Fairport Harbor’s history.

Superintendent Bill Billington summarized the occasion, “Today isn’t just about cutting the ribbon. It’s about opening the doors to a future full of promise, opportunity, and inspiration for every child who walks through these halls.”

Bill expressed his excitement for the opportunities Fairport Harbor students and residents will have using the new facility. “This is a place where dreams will be sparked, where students will discover their passions, and where teachers will do their most impactful work. This is also where our community will come together time and time again.”

“Wow. Three years ago, we were breaking ground right over here.” Fairport Harbor Mayor Timothy Manross thanked everyone and explained that when a small community has a shared vision, they can make big things happen. “We’re a one-square-mile town with no appreciable industry, but you decided to support our future and our children when you voted for the levy that put the school building in.”

Mayor Manross continued, “2025 will go down as a historic year in Fairport Harbor, not only for the 200-year tradition that we just celebrated at the lighthouse, but this ribbon cutting celebrates you, the community.”

"You have committed to the next hundred years of Fairport Harbor students."
Timothy Manross
Mayor

Fairport Harbor Ribbon Cutting for the New PreK-12 Campus

Touring the New Campus

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, attendees were invited to enjoy cookies and take a self-guided tour of the new facility to experience the modern learning spaces, which included a gymnasium, classrooms, STEAM spaces, and collaborative areas.

“It’s the community that truly makes this place a home, not the building,” said ThenDesign Architecture Project Manager Adam Parris, RA. “We’re hoping this building begins one hundred more years of tradition. We’re privileged to be part of this project and excited for you to see the new spaces.”

Students, parents, and curious residents walked the bright hallways, sat in the comfortable furniture, and stood at the front of the clean classrooms. Children made the best use of the gymnasium by running end to end on the shiny wood flooring. There was something of interest for everyone to see and help the community feel proud of what they accomplished.

“I have kids in the district, so I really care about what goes on here,” said Board of Education President Justine Levine. “Whether a student is college-bound or interested in the trades, we think it’s important to give them career and college opportunities to make sure they get prepared to join the workforce. Now that they’re no longer in 100-year-old buildings, our kids will get the full, modern student experience.”

The new school reflects Fairport Harbor’s history and identity while providing a modern, future-ready
campus to serve students from early childhood to graduation. It was also designed as a community hub for local activities and events.

The Fairport Harbor PreK-12 campus was made possible by the determined Fairport Harbor community, the OFCC’s state co-funding, and partnerships with ThenDesign Architecture and C.T. Taylor Construction. Finish work for the parking lot is still being completed, and the first wave of students began attending the new PreK-12 school after the winter break in January 2026.

"This school represents our shared belief that our students deserve the best. And today, we deliver on that promise."
Bill Billington
Superintendent

Fairport Harbor PreK-12 Campus Tour
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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Lutheran West’s Building Expansion Grand Opening

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Lutheran West's Building Expansion Grand Opening
Lutheran West's Building Expansion Grand Opening was a celebration of faith filled with hope for a brighter future. Over 500 guests attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and self-guided tours of the new 6-12 grade campus addition. Standing beside the brand-new main entrance, distinguished guests gave opening remarks that welcomed members of the Lutheran West community and revealed the modernized educational spaces that encourage growth and advanced learning opportunities.

Lutheran West's Building Expansion Grand Opening

To develop a holistic academic campus at the Lutheran West facility in Rocky River, the district embarked on an ambitious capital improvement program called “Forward in Faith” to create a facility that enhances the school’s educational offerings. The goal was to build a connected addition to their existing 9-12 school to incorporate grades 6-8 by reorganizing internal spaces and expanding their programming for all students. Featuring an inviting primary entrance, the new two-story, 36,000+ square-foot addition now provides academic, collaborative, and specialized spaces for advanced learning opportunities.

Lutheran West celebrated its Building Expansion Grand Opening on August 4, 2024, with a ribbon cutting ceremony, self-guided tours, and activity stations. Over 500 attendees enjoyed traversing the extended Lutheran West campus, greeted with warm smiles and maps by staff and student volunteers. Families touring the new spaces were invited to extract DNA from strawberries, make audio recordings for playback in the music room, play a fruit keyboard, observe 3D printing in progress, contribute to the prayer mosaic, and test out the state-of-the-art technology in the new video production studio.

Educational Excellence Supported By Donors

As part of the opening comments before the ribbon cutting, Head of School/Principal Joel Bahr welcomed guests, saying, “Lutheran West now prepares and equips students to excel in service, leadership, and learning while our students are living as disciples who are rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. It’s my prayer that you see that this morning as you enter the building. Welcome to Lutheran West.”

“Centers of Excellence” are areas of programmatic expansion brought to life through the Forward in Faith capital campaign. By deepening the student experience, Lutheran West educates and prepares the next generation of Christian thought leaders in growing career fields.

"Without your support, this would not have happened. Thank you to all of our donors, not only for your commitment throughout the years but also for what you've done here."
Chris Keller
Chairman, Lutheran West Operating Board

The Lutheran West addition blends the existing structure and new building through a joined courtyard that includes an outdoor classroom, activated by a learning canopy with overhead heating units and outdoor furniture. The campus expansion includes the multi-purpose Longhorn Room, an open student commons, the Richard W. Linn Biology Lab, the expansive John Katt Music Room, and STEM classrooms for science, 3D printing, and robotics courses. The state-of-the-art video and editing studio also utilizes a full-wall green screen for real-time graphics compositing.

Chairman of the Board at the Cleveland Lutheran High School Association, alumnus Greg Steinberg ‘91, gave opening remarks, “We developed a vision, and the vision has been realized today. We’ve expanded the building. We’ve expanded our academics. And we have the best school on the west side of Cleveland. We have faculty and staff committed to helping children grow academically through extracurriculars and learning about the opportunity to get to know Jesus Christ.”

"This fall, more than 700 students will receive a fantastic education from the dedicated faculty and staff in top-notch facilities here at Lutheran West."
Joel Bahr
Head of School/Principal

Lutheran West's Building Expansion Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting

Expanding Educational Growth Opportunities

With construction performed by The Krill Co., the school expansion relocates the Cleveland Lutheran High School Association offices into the new high school space and introduces additional collaborative areas for students and faculty. Accessibility was greatly improved by incorporating an elevator to the second floor. Having all educational resources for students in grades 6-12 secured under one roof completes Lutheran West’s “campus” atmosphere, leaving the door open for future growth opportunities for the building and students.

Lutheran West Self-Guided Tour & Activities
"May the special space designed for expanding our ministry to the middle school be a testimony that we not only cherish our past, but we seek new ministry for the future."
Reverend Dr. David Buegler
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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The Executive Grille at East Tech High School

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The Executive Grille at East Tech High School
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District chose to convert an empty pool and mostly unused portion of East Technical High School into an elegant French café-style restaurant and cutting-edge teaching kitchen facility. The Executive Grille restaurant is a local favorite and takes center stage for the Cleveland Culinary Arts program that trains students for a successful career in the culinary arts industry.

The Executive Grille at East Tech High School

When the Jane Addams Business Careers Center closed in 2021, its well-respected culinary arts program needed a new home. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District chose East Technical High School’s inactive swimming pool area as an unlikely spot for a $5.6 million state-of-the-art kitchen facility and student-run restaurant.

With creative input from architectural designers and head chefs, the adaptive reuse project transformed the concrete building and vacant pool beside a parking lot into a premiere French café-style restaurant, the Executive Grille, for the Cleveland Culinary Arts program.

As an over twenty-year CMSD veteran, Instructor and Head Chef Michael Szalkowski and graduate Chef Jonathan Gardner provided invaluable insight for designers to create the school’s ideal kitchen facility. ThenDesign Architecture Project Manager Jeff Henderson recalled the tight collaboration with the chefs, “It’s great to work with experts who know exactly what they want. It was tough to satisfy them, but we all came together to create a really cool space.”

Construction Turns a Pool into a Kitchen and Restaurant

A Premiere Culinary Educational Program Finds a New Home

More than a restaurant with industrial-grade mixers and pizza ovens, the elegant 12,000 SF facility features a computer lab, a demonstration kitchen with a live-stream camera system, locker rooms, student and public bathrooms, and a pastry arts kitchen in addition to the full restaurant kitchen. Restaurant guests observe their meals being created through the windows into the preparation area.

The new location for the Cleveland Culinary Arts program is an expansive learning environment that enables collaboration between different educational programs, bringing students from other fields into contact with the student-run business and providing a broad understanding of the culinary field. Cross-disciplinary contributions to the restaurant’s operations showcase talent from across the district, including Robotics, Small Animal Science, Horticulture, and Urban Agriculture.

All of that used to be an unused pool. “The kitchen being built on the site of a pool created its own unique challenges,” Jeff recalled, “I told them I thrive on complicated projects. That’s where the fun is. Finding a solution when the answer isn’t obvious.” Jeff expressed confidence in the space early on, “It checked all the boxes of what you would want, and I knew it would work well even when we were standing in an empty pool.”

Instead of the pool being completely filled in, a structural support system was installed inside the ten-foot hole, and the new floor was poured over it. The ceiling was also raised to make the dining area feel more open and inviting.

Drawing upon input from the school district, the chefs, Panzica Construction, and consultants, the design was finished in November 2021, and construction of the Executive Grille restaurant was completed in December 2022.

Local dignitaries, community members, staff, and students celebrated the ribbon cutting ceremony on February 3, 2023. The joyful event demonstrated the new space’s expansive capabilities and the students’ culinary skills as they prepared meals for invited guests. An honorary booth and plaque commemorated Former Superintendent Eric Gordon’s service in the school district from 2011 to 2023.

The Executive Grille Restaurant and Kitchen Facility Ribbon Cutting

Refining the Design Considerations

As part of the development process, alternatives to the final layout were considered, including a split-level option with the kitchen and restaurant on two separate floors. Months of meetings informed the decision to place the kitchen near the exterior beside the parking lot and have the restaurant deeper inside, which is an inverse of an early concept. New windows were also added to allow more natural light.

The chefs and the district helped to identify the best layout for the space to ensure culinary efficiency.

“In design, there are a lot of ideas that happen,” Jeff said. “95% of them end up on the cutting room floor, and you keep 5%. But you’ve got to go through that 95% to make sure the 5% are right.”

Since its opening, the Executive Grille continues to be a district and local favorite, while the Cleveland Culinary Arts program maintains a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum, preparing students for the challenges of careers in the culinary industry.

The Executive Grille Restaurant in Action
"It was really fun to create a Cadillac of kitchens."
Jeff Henderson, RA
ThenDesign Architecture
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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Willoughby South High School At Union Village: 4 Entities Under 1 Roof

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Willoughby South High School at Union Village: 4 Entities Under 1 Roof
South High School in Willoughby, Ohio, also known as Union Village, incorporates four separate entities into a single building. Jeff Henderson of ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) explains the challenges of creating a structure to host different organizations under one roof, sharing common spaces, yet having each retain their identity.

Willoughby South High School at Union Village: 4 Entities Under 1 Roof

Union Village in Willoughby, Ohio, incorporates four entities into a single building. This includes Willoughby South High School, Willoughby Middle School, the Lake County West End YMCA, and the David E. Anderson Senior Center, which are all now operating under the same unified structure since the $39,000,000 addition and renovation project was completed in September 2019. 

The updated 198,100 SF facility serves 1,700 students (1,200 in grades 9-12 and 500 in grades 6-8), local senior citizens, the community, and YMCA members. Merging these entities into a shared structure maximized the efficient use of space and budget due to three different organizations sharing amenities, a field house that includes gymnasium space, an elevated track, and pool facilities.

Willoughby South High School at Union Village
“This was one of the more complicated projects I have ever worked on. But it was fun.”
Jeff Henderson, RA
ThenDesign Architecture

A Vision of Physical Collaboration

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) Project Manager Jeff Henderson explained the challenges of planning and constructing such a complex project. 

“The Willoughby-Eastlake City School District knew they wanted to update the middle school and high school, while at the same time, the YMCA and Senior Center were making the same types of plans. Since the high school had been next to the YMCA for about 40 years, [Former] Superintendent Steve Thompson had the idea to approach the YMCA to see if they were interested in collaborating on a new building. He suggested they should work together and share the same spaces rather than duplicate facilities.” 

The concept of collaboration with physical space built momentum with the David E. Anderson Senior Center joining the partnership. Jeff recalled, “Once they all agreed to work together, they came to us and said, ‘This is what we want to do.’ And we thought, ‘Okay, how are we going to do this?’ It was a great idea, but it certainly would have its challenges.”

“The process demanded honest and ongoing communications with the ability to compromise to reach the best solutions.”
Robert Fiala, AIA, NCARB, APA
Mayor of Willoughby

Identifying Mutual Challenges

Three separate collaborators having different sources of funding needed to be timed together. A bond issue funded the construction project for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. The YMCA relied on membership fees and donations. The Senior Center was funded through membership fees and the city of Willoughby. 

After the three parties came together and agreed on which areas of the interconnected building they would operate, their needs were relayed to the architecture team. 

“Each wanted their own parking lot, entry, and face of the building so that visitors could clearly identify where they were going. That’s very reasonable,” Jeff said, “but the interesting challenge was having three organizations with separate identities in the same complex and still having a sense of unity. It was a creative problem we were excited to solve. 

“On top of that, some had strict design standards we had to adhere to. The YMCA is a national brand and had to feel like all the others. Willoughby South High School had a sister campus on the north side, and they needed to feel related. Balancing those stipulations to make everyone happy took a lot of time and many discussions.”

Union Village Building Layout Renderings
“The biggest lesson: You can’t have too many meetings with your client.”
Jeff Henderson, RA
ThenDesign Architecture

Sharing the Field House

The biggest functional space of Union Village is the Field House, located in the center of the structure. This shared space connects the high school, the YMCA, and the Senior Center. It contains four full basketball courts and an elevated track. 

Sharing a common area required that each party had direct access to the facilities, which meant they were physically connected to the Field House. “Some problems cannot be solved strictly by architecture,” Jeff pointed out. “Each participant had to take on some responsibility for administration because you can only do so much with design. You didn’t want a high school student accidentally wandering into the Senior Center. The seniors needed to reach the pool but not the other areas of the YMCA. So, there were a lot of conversations about security and safety. It was up to the three different parties to manage that.” 

Union Village Field House, YMCA, and Senior Center

A Renovation, Not a Re-creation

“The high school was a renovation, not an entirely new build,” Jeff commented. “We incorporated some additions to the structure based on the needs of the district but also to give us the room to fully incorporate the principles of student-centered learning into the existing space. The forward-thinking design included collaborative areas and open classrooms, which could be done without tearing all the buildings down and starting over.”

Developed in parallel with its sister school Willoughby North, South High School at Union Village is a 21st-century learning facility that exemplifies the district’s goals of modernizing its curriculum and provides flexible spaces to support student-centered learning.

The two high schools were designed in tandem, with both teams meeting regularly as designs progressed. The Willoughby-Eastlake School District planned to spread the athletic and arts spaces across their high schools. South High School received expanded athletic facilities, while North High School enjoyed a large performing arts and music space. Students can choose which high school they want to attend based on personal interests.

“Due to where the football field was and where the Field House needed to be, we found that the best place to put the new high school was at the back of the old one,” Jeff continued, “but then we have the front door at the back of a building. We had to figure out a way to signal, ‘Hey, I’m back here.’ The answer was found with curves.

“Educational design is no longer about a series of industrial rectangles. The school has curved hallways, curved walls, and other curved spaces. This smooth flow encourages motion. So, for the exterior, we generated geometries that would lead people by peeking around curves that would guide them to the high school entrance. They needed to know, ‘I’m in the right place,’ and we accomplished that.”

Willoughby South High School at Union Village

Bricks Become the Mortar

Jeff explained the unification problem, “The YMCA felt more high-tech with metal siding. The Senior Center wanted to feel comfortable, like a home. Then, you had an education design for the high school. The way to maintain their identities, but still communicate they’re linked together was by using materials.” 

Jeff noted that a common, unifying element across the building exterior was the use of bricks. “They shared a roof, but by adding the same brick layout along the base of the Senior Center, YMCA, and high school, we created a material commonality that pulled the different spaces together. Each organization was not only physically joined, but now visually joined.”

Union Village Unified with Bricks

Willoughby YMCA
David E. Anderson Senior Center
Willoughby Middle School
Willoughby South Middle School
Willoughby South High School
Willoughby South High School
Willoughby South High School
Willoughby South High School

Benefits Beyond Being a Building

Robert Fiala, the founding partner of ThenDesign Architecture and current Mayor of Willoughby, Ohio, was heavily involved in the planning process. He reflected on the intangible benefits of such a facility, “Beyond the unusual collaboration of a public school district, a faith-based non-profit, and the city, the Union Village project offered a unique cross-generational opportunity. Adjacent to a daycare center and both schools, it became a place where seniors, students, and children could interact with each other. The kids benefit from the wisdom and experience of the seniors, and the seniors have companionship and a chance to share their lifelong stories.”

“Three very different entities with different goals, different types of funding, and different aesthetic requirements coming together in the same space doesn’t happen every day. But we did it.”
Jeff Henderson, RA
ThenDesign Architecture

A New Name for a New Era

To honor the previous occupant of the space, Union High School, and acknowledge that three different organizations came together to create what is akin to being a village, the building was given the new name “Union Village.” 

The Union Village Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place on August 10, 2019. The project was completed a month later. 

Jeff noted how rewarding it was to participate in such an undertaking. “Considering the complexities involved, I think we were successful. We achieved all the goals our clients had and that we had. It was neat to watch people using the spaces as we intended.” 

Robert noted that the measure of accomplishment is how visitors receive it. “Our joint-use project has been applauded by many,” he said. “Other cities and school districts visit the building, talk with our administrators, and see function and that the collaborations succeeded.” 

Union Village continues to provide services for thousands in the Willoughby area each year. 

“We hope it will be viewed as an example of how collaboration can save money, enhance programming, and provide a significant community benefit.”
Robert Fiala, AIA, NCARB, APA
Mayor of Willoughby
Union Village Groundbreaking Ceremony
Union Village Groundbreaking Ceremony
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc Cebrian

Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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Richmond Heights Upper School – A School in Flight

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Richmond Heights Upper School – A School in Flight
The Richmond Heights Upper School is an 88,000 sf educational facility located in the city of Richmond Heights, Ohio and serves 420 students in grades 7-12. Designed with the concept of "aviation" in mind, this modern school uses a mixture of curved metal panels and light brick to evoke feelings of lightness, movement, and flight.

Richmond Heights Upper School – A School in Flight

The Richmond Heights Upper School is an 88,000 sf educational facility located in the city of Richmond Heights, Ohio and serves 420 students in grades 7-12. Adjacent to the Cuyahoga County airport, the school was designed with the concept of “aviation” in mind. It uses a mixture of curved metal panels and light brick to evoke feelings of lightness, movement, and flight. It is home to School Board offices and a branch of the Cuyahoga County library , which is a major component for students and the local community. Technology and flexibility play a major role in the school’s design which is evident in the extended learning area and other student oriented spaces. The new school expands District athletic capabilities with two gymnasiums for the high school and middle school, along with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) focused areas such as a “Clean Makerspace ” and “Technology Commons.”

Superintendent Dr. Renee Willis, who led the project for the District feels this facility has the opportunity to transform the community. “It’s the crown jewel of this community and has become a catalyst for a renaissance in Richmond Heights, which is on its way to ‘bigger and better.’ The students, the community, and the library all rallied around this project and made it become a reality.”

This educational facility becomes a technological focal point for Richmond Heights students to further their education, collaborate with peers and receive training in many STEAM related programs.
"It's the crown jewel of this community and has become a catalyst for a renaissance in Richmond Heights, which is on its way to ‘bigger and better.’"
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Educational Visioning for the Richmond Heights Upper School

In January of 2018, the District and TDA hosted an Educational Visioning session with Richmond Heights Local Schools to explore the educational goals for the new school. Held in the gymnasium of the existing Richmond Heights High School, dozens of educators, designers and District administrators participated in a series of exercises which would serve as a foundation for the design of the new school. They identified the successes and challenges of existing facilities, documented goals for the new building and collaborated in an interactive exercise that allowed attendees to layout the new site and explore spatial relationships between the main components of the building.

James Cowan, the project manager for the Richmond Heights Upper School recalled: “First, we listened to the community and made sure we understood what was most important to them. In terms of spaces and usage but also in terms of safety and security.” Considering security in a building that had both “public” and “private” areas was paramount, “This was a huge component to consider from day one. We had to understand how to best separate public spaces like the gymnasium, Media Center and Student Dining from the more private academic oriented spaces.”

Many of these relationships were established in the Educational Visioning Session and many community meetings throughout the design process.

“Through an Educational Visioning Session and multiple community meetings, we listened to feedback and incorporated their concerns into the design. This was in terms of safety and how spaces should function, even at different times of day.”

Richmond Heights Upper School, Educational Visioning
"In this school, we provided a blend of modern and traditional spaces for the District to educate their students in."
James Cowan
Project Manager

Design Concepts and Features of the Upper School

Since the school is located adjacent to the Cuyahoga County Airport, this provided the inspiration for building materials and design cues. Sweeping curved metal panels accent the exterior and create a feeling of lightness. This gives the sense that the structure could “take off” at any moment and roots it in the aviation aesthetic. This sense of dynamic movement is carried over into the interior using a central corridor which connects the major spaces in the building. This central spine is activated by full scale wall graphics and provides select views into more public spaces through glass curtain walls. Furniture in public spaces includes soft seating that compliments the modern environment.

A partnership between Richmond Heights Local School District and the county airport allows for additional academic programs that introduce high school students to the aviation industry. Space in the school is dedicated to teaching aviation by providing hands on experience with unmanned aerial vehicles and flight simulator equipment.

“Students are excited because they’re engaged in new programs,” said Dr. Willis, she is particularly excited about these new programs for students. “There’s no longer just traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, you now have innovative electives that excite students. Our teachers are also connecting those electives to their core teachings.”

The architecture combined with new programs, elevates educational opportunities for students in the District.

One challenge that designers faced with this project was incorporating a significant 9′ elevation change from the north end of the site to the south. To prevent costly extensive sitework, the central corridor was constructed to slope across the building. This slope, being ADA compliant, eliminated the need for stairs at various points in the school and further emphasized the concept of movement throughout building.

The school responds to the site elevation changes and its contextual surroundings. Near an existing elementary school on the east side of the site, the Richmond Heights Upper School reduces to a single story so as not to tower over the shorter school . The circulation paths were designed so elementary school students could have access to the new upper school. It also takes advantage of existing traffic patterns, using existing roads for bus transportation and library access. Additionally, the schools’ new athletic facilities and locker rooms were carefully placed to allow students easy access to the existing track and field.

Richmond Heights Upper School, Classrooms and Building Details
"It's surreal, because I remember stomping the streets, knocking on doors, speaking to homeowners’ associations, trying to sell a vision and now the vision has come to reality."
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Cuyahoga County Library

A unique feature of the new school is the inclusion of a branch of the Cuyahoga County Library. This public space provides opportunities for both community access and student collaboration. During design, the Richmond Heights Local School District, along with the Cuyahoga County Public Library provided input on the library’s design. The location of this 5,600 sf branch was carefully chosen, and allowed the library to have its own separate entrance while also connecting to the Upper School’s entrance lobby. The library features small group rooms for use by the community , including the YMCA’s Silver sneakers program, with technology-rich connectivity. Easy parking is provided for public access, even while school is in session.

At the “Unity in the Community Back-to-School Extravaganza,” an open house for the school, educators, students, vendors and community members all came to tour the facility, to learn more about the District, support local businesses and celebrate National Night Out, among other activities.

At the event, Superintendent Willis talked about her hopes for an impact on the broader region. “People in the community are excited about the school and hopefully other ideas come from this because I want it to be a city school collaborative.”

The school having been designed with a focus on technology, flexibility and collaboration presents many future opportunities for student and residents.

Richmond Heights Upper School, "Unity in the Community" and the Cuyahoga County Public Library

Designed with Flexibility in Mind

A hallmark of the Richmond Heights Upper School is flexibility. The student dining space is an excellent example of this. During the school day, the space is used for student dining, while in the evening, it can transform into a community space that can be rented out. This assembly space is outfitted with wall mounted mechanized seating for 210 people. A raised platform serves as a stage with lighting and acoustics to support both school or presentation functions.

Middle School academic spaces feature overhead doors that can open into an extended learning area. Educators can open their classrooms and combine with other educators to collaborate on large group projects.

The school’s “Technology Commons” provides a flexible environment for students to meet in smaller informal groups and use the learning stair for presentations. Connected to the Tech Commons is a “Makers Lab” that includes 3D printers, and other modern digital creation tools. These spaces further promote the concept of movement and activity since glass curtain walls allow visibility to the central corridor.

“How do we transform what was yesterday, into what see today…and what we want to see tomorrow?

James Cowan believes that flexible building design can help students incorporate technology to face challenges they will see in the future. “It is hard to respond to changes in technology since it moves so quickly, but we can definitely provide space for students to explore technology. In this school, we provided a blend of modern and traditional spaces for the District to educate their students in.”

James credits the wide variety of stakeholders and leadership from the District.

“This is partially a result of the input we had from stakeholders such as the school board, superintendent , community, students, educators, consultants and interior design teams. Everyone was asking themselves—‘How can we have a balanced, realistic approach for a unique school district like Richmond Heights Local Schools?’

Richmond Heights Upper School, STEAM focused "Clean Makerspace" and the new gymnasium facilities.

"There's no longer just traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, you now have innovative electives that excite students. Our teachers are also connecting those electives to their core teachings."
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Impacting the Community with the Richmond Heights Upper School

“A student’s experience is the most important part of school design, thinking about that is the “bread and butter” of an educational architect’s work.” reflected James on the design process. “There was a point in design where we presented an animation of the building before construction. A middle school student who wasn’t a part of Richmond Height’s Upper School yet, was brought in by the Superintendent to watch the animation. I won’t forget the look on his face, and he said ‘Wow, I can’t wait to see that building next year!’ and that really pumped me up. He is probably attending the new school now.”

The superintendent echoed the same sentiments in bringing that vision to the community during design.

“It’s surreal, because I remember stomping the streets, knocking on doors, speaking to homeowners’ associations, trying to sell a vision,” Dr. Willis commented standing in one of the extended learning areas in the new school, “and now the vision has come to reality.”

Good architectural design can positively impact a community in multiple ways.

“It’s not just about transforming an environment,” commented James, “the school can bring new energy.”

The motto at Richmond Heights Local Schools is: “It’s a new day for the Richmond Heights Way,” James reflects, “I feel like this building embodies that saying. ‘It’s a new day.’ We hope to transform the community with this new beacon for Richmond Heights.”

Project Design Challenges:

  • Develop an efficient 7-12 facility that aesthetically ties into its immediate site, while taking cues from the surrounding site, such as an existing elementary school and residential areas.
  • Incorporate a 9' elevation change running north/south in the school without disrupting circulation on the interior.
  • Develop a 5,600 sf branch of the Cuyahoga County Library inside the school, allowing it to be easily accessible to the public during school operation.
  • Provide clear spatial separation between middle and upper schools and emphasize safety and security measures while also maintaining an open and dynamic interior environment.
  • Utilize existing site circulation to service both the Upper School and Cuyahoga County Library.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.

North High School – Mind, Heart and Body

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North High School – Mind, Heart and Body
North High School in Eastlake Ohio is a 9-12 facility that embodies the educational ideals of the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. Conceptually organized around the idea of unifying a student's "mind," "heart" and "body," this unique structure brings “student centered” learning to its lake front community.

North High School, Eastlake Ohio

North High School in Eastlake Ohio is a 9-12 facility embodying the educational ideals of the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. It promotes student/teacher collaboration and integrates advanced technology, enhancing education in the region. This 2-story, 187,000 sf facility serves its 1,100 students and houses a state-of-the-art performing arts center that seats 500 guests. A central “Student Union” acts as the main circulation hub which leads to a competition gymnasium, media center and dual academic collaboratives. Having been developed in parallel with its sister school Willoughby South, North High School is a 21st century learning facility that exemplifies the district’s goals of modernizing its curriculum and provides flexible spaces to support student centered learning.

Innovative Learning

Innovative student education is nothing new for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. Having renovated a training building on the former Eaton Corporate Campus in Willoughby Hills, they began experimenting with modern forms of student engagement and teaching. This educational initiative is known as the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation.

The School of Innovation was a testing ground for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District and they began implementing a “student centered learning model” with select students on a small scale.

Instead of the typical double loaded corridor which connected relatively small classrooms and focused on teachers lecturing students from the front of the room, this new educational model focused on “project-based learning,” where students were encouraged to collaborate with each other in small groups. With a more flexible open environment, educators were able to teach in a way that traditional educational facilities didn’t support.

As this program developed, the district began seeing successes in the form of student satisfaction and greater engagement in coursework. From these positive early results, they knew this “student centered” approach would be a good fit for their community.

The district then began to create a facilities plan that would address each school in their community, bringing this new model.
"Everything that's happening in public education right now is very exciting... Good design really facilitates many different methods of learning."
Abby Rainieri
Educational Design Lead

Educational Visioning

ThenDesign Architecture assisted the district by conducting an educational visioning session. This event brought together community members, district administration and students to define how they wanted to address education in their area. This session identified a vision for education and helped lay the groundwork for how future buildings would be designed.

After passing a bond issue to fund the project, the district decided to create three new buildings, Longfellow, a PreK-5 building, two new high schools (North High School and Willoughby South) and then renovate the rest of the existing schools.

This community-wide update changed the course of education in the district.

Abby Rainieri, Project Manager for North High School commented, “I think student centered learning is very effective at the high school level, because at this stage of education, every student is different. Whether their path takes them to higher education, or right into a career, these spaces are tailored to suit that direction.”

North High School

Located off Stevens boulevard, in Eastlake Ohio, the curved and sweeping exterior uses metal panels and brick to mimic the dynamic forms of Lake Erie in this lake front community.

North was conceptually organized around the idea of unifying a student’s “mind,” “heart” and “body.” A centralized “Student Union” is the entryway to the school, includes student dining, and serves as the “heart” of the building. This space was named after the historic “Union High School,” and is the largest collaborative space which leads to all other locations in the building. The gymnasium and performing arts spaces are the most active learning spaces and symbolize the “body” portion of the building, while the academic spaces symbolize the “mind.” These 3 components, mind, heart, and body are the organizing principals and serve as a “living diagram” for the building.

The academic spaces are divided into the STEM and Humanities programs. Each one is organized around an open collaborative space and likened to the right and left halves of the brain–two necessary elements of a functioning whole. Classrooms in each collaborative are connected to their hub by overhead doors which allow the common space to become an extension of the classroom. Architecturally, the STEM and Humanities hubs are linked by a circulation bridge which overlooks an outdoor “learning commons.”

The second floor of these hubs host small group rooms that are separated by glass walls with integrated technology. The glass provides a visual connection, while maintaining privacy to allow teachers the ability to work with individual students, or for groups of students to prepare and rehearse presentations in a more formal setting.

"Students are free to use the collaborative areas to suit their needs. They want to interact with their friends like at a coffee shop or in their house."
Abby Rainieri
Educational Design Lead

Interior Finishes

Similar to the deep collaboration among district administrators, community members and designers, both the architectural and interior design teams blended together. Designs for interior circulation and educational program integrated with color schemes, interior textures and furniture.

Within the Humanities hub, warmer colors and soft surfaces were used to reflect a learning style that promotes conversation and idea sharing. In the STEM collaborative, building systems were exposed, harder textures were used along with cool colors. This way the architecture mimicked the science and math fields practiced there. In addition, both academic wings have access to a central learning courtyard where students gather to perform outdoor experiments.

Commenting on how the flexible spaces are used by students, Abby explained “What is rewarding is seeing students using those spaces in ways we didn’t foresee.” Students are free to use the areas to suit their needs and feel personally connected to them. “They figure out how to use spaces in their own unique way. They don’t want to sit in the rows all day. They want to interact with their friends like at a coffee shop or in their house.”

The school can be a beautiful and functional hub where students want to stay and work together.

“They might be sprawled out on a learning stair, or laying down on carpet, or leaning back on an ottoman, and that mimics how they naturally want to interact with each other and learn”

When students are free to explore and personalize the space, they take better care of it and make it their own.
"There are often two full classes in the collaborative areas. They may be stretching out and writing, sitting on the soft seating. The students are far more productive that way. As long as they are engaged, what difference does it make where they learn?"
Steve Thompson
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools Superintendent

Performing Arts Center

Since both North and South High School were developed in parallel, they mirror each other in terms of academic program. However, South High School received expanded athletic facilities, while North High School enjoyed an expanded performing arts and music space. In the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District, students can choose which school they would like to attend based on interest.

Just off the main entrance of the school is an anteroom for the main auditorium. This community focused performance space can be accessed through its own separate entrance after hours, or opened during the school day, extending the student union.

The auditorium includes state-of-the-art lighting and acoustic treatment, seating up to 500 guests. Adjacent to backstage is a set construction lab, which is connected both to the exterior and interior by overhead doors. This way large “set pieces” can easily be moved from the construction bay to the stage by students.

North High School Fulfilling the Educational Goals for the District

With the district having identified and tested educational programs through the School of Innovation on a small scale, they were able to scale this program and develop an architectural solution that ensured it would benefit the broader student population.

For Abby, the design at North High School represents an opportunity to create flexible space where students are free to use spaces as they see fit. “I think you have to learn in the way that’s best for you, whether that’s being a visual or auditory or kinetic learner, you know the way works for you. These flexible spaces “level the playing field” and allow you to be successful regardless of your learning style.”

This project allows students to learn how they are most comfortable and prepares them for their future.

Abby is optimistic about the future of education, “Everything that’s happening in public education right now is very exciting. Good design supports education by creating different types of spaces, different types of furniture, allowing access to new technology, and making easy access to the outdoors. It really facilitates many different methods of learning.”

Project Design Challenges:

  • Develop North and South High Schools in parallel so their program of requirements matches, but are designed specifically for their site.
  • Incorporate the "student centered learning" principles gleaned from the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation into the spacial layout of the high school.
  • Organize the building layout around a series of "collaborative hubs" that serve the curriculum in the school.
  • Align the architectural design, interior finishes and building color to support the coursework in that particular area.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.