Douglas MacArthur Modernization
Project Information
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Status: Complete
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Opening Date: Fall 2023
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Location: 1101 Janneys Lane
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Contractor: SKANSKA
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Architect/Designer: DLR Group
Design Features
● Grade Levels: Pre-K - 5
● Building Capacity: 840 Students
● Building SF: 154,221 SF
● Parking Spaces: 84 Underground and 11 Surface
● Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Goals: LEED Gold and Net Zero
Energy (ACPS first building with NZE goal)
● RPCA office and Outdoor Bathrooms: RPCA programs and community use
Architectural Design and Renderings
Welcome to the Opening of the new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School!
ACPS celebrated the opening of the newly constructed Douglas MacArthur on Fri., Aug. 18, 2023, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We are so excited about this new building and its offering of a modern, welcoming and innovative space where our students can learn and grow and our staff can teach and thrive,” ACPS Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt said as she called the building a “beacon for the community.” Douglas MacArthur Principal Penny Hairston, Alexandria City School Board Chair Dr. Michelle Rief, Alexandria City Mayor Justin Wilson and ACPS Chief Operating Officer Dr. Alicia Hart also addressed the gathering of elected officials, community leaders and student ambassadors in attendance. Dr. Rief presented a commemorative plaque from the School Board to Douglas MacArthur’s principal, before a group cut the ribbon at the school entrance. Watch highlights from the exciting occasion here!
Project Overview
The Douglas MacArthur Modernization Project was a comprehensive capital improvement effort by Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to replace the historic Douglas MacArthur Elementary School with a modern, expanded facility designed to better serve students and the community. The original building, first opened in 1943, had long exceeded its intended lifespan and was facing significant structural, capacity, and functional challenges.
The project resulted in a new three-story, approximately 154,000-square-foot school with space for up to ~840 students in Pre-K through 5th grade, featuring modern classrooms, dedicated art and music rooms, a gym/multipurpose room, improved outdoor play areas, and community recreation space through partnership with the City’s Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities.
