DC Infrastructure Academy at Spingarn High School
Supporting a rapidly-growing industry, the DC Infrastructure Academy will educate, train, and recruit DC residents in a variety of infrastructure trades. The center will find its new home in the renovation of a historic Ward 5 high school, bolstering the next chapter of its ongoing community legacy.
Client: Department of General Services, on behalf of the Department of Employment Services
Location: Washington, DC
Discipline: Workforce Training + Education
Completion: 2024
Size: 50,000 SF Renovation with 12,000 SF exterior program space
Infrastructure is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, soon to be amplified by the passage of the $550 billion Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill in 2021. Recognizing the significance of these trades, the District of Columbia has partnered with private enterprises to develop workforce training focused on viable employment opportunities in energy, construction, and information technology. The DC Infrastructure Academy (DCIA) coordinates, trains, screens, and recruits DC residents to fulfill local infrastructure needs and provide direct pathways to jobs with leading companies. With its offerings and enrollment expanding, the Department of Employment Services (DOES) and the Department of General Services (DGS) decided to transition the Infrastructure Academy to a larger facility: the 1950’s-era Spingarn High School campus. The VMDO-DC / BELL Architects team was chosen to lead the complete programming and design necessary to modernize Spingarn High School to serve as the new home of DCIA.
Key to the project is the notable historic significance and sensitivity of the Spingarn site. The DC Preservation League notes that the school was constructed in 1951 as a dedicated facility for African American students in order to relieve overcrowding at other segregated high schools in the District. As such, Spingarn is considered to be the District’s last segregated high school, with the process of desegregation beginning only two years after its opening. Notably, Spingarn’s curriculum focused on life skills including home economics, trade workshops, and laboratories. Although the school was closed and abandoned in 2013, its community role has made it a natural predecessor for the new DC Infrastructure Academy.
The modernization of Spingarn High School will occur through four key tasks, with a commitment to historic preservation and navigation through DC agency and review boards. Task One will begin with a much-needed stormwater management plan. This will be coupled by a thorough programming and concept design phase, including engagement with DGS, DOES, and potential private stakeholders such as PEPCO, WMATA, DC Water, Washington Gas, DC Solar Works, and more. Building assessment and stabilization will determine the building’s structural needs. Finally, full design services will provide a biddable package intended to move forward into construction.
The DC Infrastructure Academy is set to be a significant contribution to the local economy and a promising opportunity for DC residents. The modernization will redefine the next chapter of Spingarn High School with sensitivity, continuing its original promise of providing education, enrichment, and resources for its community.
“As the infrastructure industry continues to grow, we want DC residents to be the first in line for these high-paying jobs.”
