school facility officials looking at repurposing space in response to covid-19

The rehabilitation of an existing structure on the campus of the Community College of Denver may be accelerated due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The school had earlier announced plans to add 10,000 square feet to the Boulder Creek Building’s existing 65,500 square feet, but now may be in the process of recalibrating some of the structure’s space due to the distancing requirements of the virus.

The Community College of Denver project is just one of many across the country, according to a survey recently completed by a school facilities group, exploring how spaces within buildings are being altered because of COVID-19.

The Alexander, Virginia-based APPA, formerly known as the Association of Physical Plant Administrators, noted that the survey indicated that some 64 percent of respondents were currently in the throes of making new plans for specific facility space because of the virus.

In a separate question, nearly a third of respondents said they do not have the space needed to respond to the coronavirus’ spacing needs.

Representing more than 1,300 learning facilities across the country, as well as museums and libraries, APPA has been trying to determine the scope of campus facility alternations currently under consideration.

In so doing, the group will soon be hosting a web meeting dedicated to, among other things, enabling planning teams to “move toward true data-driven decision-making using effective asset inventory and capital budgeting strategies.”

Notes E. Lander Medlin, APPA’s executive vice-president: “Facilities leaders are undertaking more complex maintenance efforts throughout their entire real estate portfolios as a means of enhancing student safety.”

Survey responses indicate that while new campus facility space, for the present, may not be built, existing space is likely to be repurposed.

At the same time, respondents indicated that across the board smaller classroom spaces will be replaced by substantially larger classroom spaces.
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Campus spaces seen as the most likely to undergo interior alternations in the weeks to come include the now-abandoned offices of both school staff and faculty that are no longer being used and can be readapted as classrooms. 

​By Garry Boulard

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