Wallace Elementary School
Grade reconfiguration + campus expansion
Following a district-wide facility study, the West York Area School District consolidated all kindergarten and first-grade students across the district into Wallace Elementary School.
To accommodate the concentrated early-childhood enrollment, the project paired full interior renovations of the original structure—built in 1952 with updates in 1991 and 2002—with a new two-story, 12-classroom addition.
The new wing houses all first-grade learning spaces alongside an administrative suite located adjacent to a secure main entrance vestibule.
Systemic upgrades + modern technology
Renovations completely overhauled existing building infrastructure to enhance efficiency, safety, and instructional quality:
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HVAC + energy systems: Replaced legacy heating and cooling with an energy-efficient geothermal system and updated building-wide electrical and lighting fixtures.
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Safety features: Retrofitted the entire facility with a new fire sprinkler system to meet modern building codes.
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Instructional technology: Outfitted classrooms with interactive whiteboards and modern instructional tools tailored for early learners.
Interior finishes + spatial layout
Interior updates refreshed all floor and ceiling finishes while reconfiguring major core spaces.
Crews transformed the original library into a modern media center and computer lab. The original stage was removed to expand seating capacity within the cafeteria, and the overall food service footprint was reorganized to house a new full-service kitchen.
Reorganizing the building footprint + site
A new two-story, 12-classroom addition houses first-grade learning spaces alongside an administrative suite positioned adjacent to a secure main entrance vestibule.
Outside, the site layout was reorganized to separate bus traffic from parent drop-off loops, expand visitor parking, and introduce a modern stormwater management system where none previously existed.
