Skip To Main Content

Search

Main Navigation

Mobile Translate ( don't delete )

Mobile Utility

Header Holder

Header Right

Header Utility

Translate

Search

Mobile Toggle ( don't delete )

Breadcrumb

Douglas MacArthur Modernization

A modern building with a green facade on the left and a brown entrance with %22DOUGLAS MACARTHUR%22 in blue letters is visible in the foreground, while a light-colored building with dark windows and trees line the background under a cloudy sky.

Project Information

  • Status: Complete

  • Opening Date: Fall 2023

  • Location: 1101 Janneys Lane

  • Contractor: SKANSKA

  • 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!

A group of children and adults are gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of a building.
In the foreground, comfortable seating arrangements surround a bookshelf, while the background reveals a bright, open space with large windows overlooking an outdoor area.
A modern staircase with a green, textured section in the foreground leads up to a bright hallway with yellow geometric patterns on the wall and a green, leafy ceiling installation in the background.
A wide wooden floor leads to a cafe entrance and a brightly tiled sink area in the background.
A vibrant green, moss-covered tiered seating area with a wooden floor in the foreground leads to a bright staircase and a ceiling with green, abstract panels in the background.
In the foreground, plush seating arrangements surround a mobile bookshelf, while the background reveals a bright, modern library space with large windows overlooking an outdoor area.
A stationary bicycle sits in the foreground of a brightly lit, modern room with green walls, yellow seating, and a wooden floor, while the background reveals a hallway and more seating areas.
A vibrant, newly constructed playground with blue rubber surfacing and colorful equipment fills the foreground, while a line of orange construction barriers and bare trees under a cloudy sky form the background.
A stationary bike sits in the foreground of a brightly lit, modern hallway with green walls and yellow seating areas in the background.
Orange cones mark the edge of a green artificial turf field where a group of people are practicing, with a line of tall evergreen trees forming the background under a cloudy sky.
A bright blue playground with various swings and climbing structures is visible in the foreground, while a line of orange construction barriers and a cloudy sky form the background.
A group of people practice soccer on a green turf field with orange and white markings, while a line of evergreen trees forms the background under a cloudy sky.
A modern, multi-story building with a courtyard playground featuring green play structures and a tunnel in the foreground, surrounded by brick and green-paneled walls in the background.
A modern school cafeteria with a row of sinks and dispensers in the foreground and tables and chairs visible through large windows in the background.
A paved walkway curves around a grassy lawn in the foreground, leading to a modern building with brick and metal facades under a cloudy sky in the background.
In the foreground, rows of white picnic tables with benches fill a brightly lit cafeteria, while the background features a stage and teal walls with decorative panels and the words %22LET'S EAT.%22
A concrete sidewalk with red markings leads to a modern building with large windows and a brown roof, set against a cloudy sky and a brick structure.
Rows of empty picnic tables with green cups fill the foreground of a brightly lit cafeteria, while the background features a stage and teal-colored walls with decorative panels.

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.