The design overwhelmingly favored by the Murch community included underground parking and a sunken cafeteria, shown in this rendering at the corner of 36th and Davenport Streets.
According to the latest renovation update:
Mayor Muriel Bowser told school representatives, DCPS and DGS [last week] that the city is now moving forward to modernize Murch using the additional funds for the project approved by the DC Council. In order to get there, the city will:
- use the $78 million in the Mayor’s budget for the school on the modernization,
- use the $5 million of additional funds approved by the Council for swing space costs, and
- work with the builder to value engineer $5 million in savings from the October 2015 design.
The announcement breaks weeks of DCPS and DGS silence on the renovation plans, which had included an alternative design. This will be the 80-year-old school’s first renovation, and the new addition will double its footprint.