WELL, OF COURSE THEY DO!
The home of their existing and eagerly anticipated new school is located on Knowalot Lane in Norwalk, CT.
AUGUST 2022 – While some limited site work began earlier in the year on this Antinozzi-designed project, the City of Norwalk officially broke ground for the new Cranbury Elementary School building on August 11, 2022. Antinozzi Associates Architecture and Interiors was proud to join the Cranbury community, Norwalk Public School administrators, and City of Norwalk officials at the groundbreaking ceremony for the completely new 62,000 square-foot facility. This is Norwalk’s first completely new school in 50 years, and it replaces a careworn 1959 structure at the end of its useful life.
Architect and Senior Project Manager Lisa Yates, along with Interior Designer Lauren Williams, were on hand to represent the firm on behalf of the design team to celebrate this important day.
Consultants working with Antinozzi Associates to deliver the design for Cranbury Elementary School include CES (M/E/P/FP), D’ Agostino Associates (Technology), e2 Engineering (Structural Design), Jaffe Holden (Acoustic Design), Langan (Environmental/Geotechnical Services), Stantec (Civil/Landscape), and Raymond/Raymond Associates (Food Service).
In November 2018, Antinozzi Associates was awarded the commission to conduct a study of Cranbury Elementary School. It was originally the desire of the School District to make improvements to the existing facility, but due to the age and condition of the building a new facility proved to be the best choice for Norwalk. In 2020, Antinozzi Associates was selected to provide complete design services for a new facility to accommodate nearly 500 students.
The new Cranbury Elementary will be packed with modern amenities: air conditioning, security, ample power and data, and so much more. The southern end of the building will form a community-centered civic wing, with a gracious lobby flanked by the Main Office, Cafeteria and Gymnasium- performance space, all of which can be easily locked off from the main academic wing to the north. The aesthetic of the building responds to the beautiful parklike site by bringing the outside in with glass and natural materials like wood and stone.
The design places an entirely new school to the west of the existing building so the existing Cranbury Elementary can continue operating during construction. Construction Manager Newfield Construction worked closely with the Design Team to phase site construction to meet the logistic challenges associated with continuous operation of a live school next to a construction site.
The new building is planned to open for students in the Fall of 2023, which will allow for removal of the existing building to make way for a new ballfield, tennis court, and a generous parent drop-off lane removing traffic from Knowalot Lane. These final steps to transform the site are expected to wrap up in the Spring of 2024.
This positive story for Norwalk is making the news: