Van Asselt Interim Site

Addition and Modernization of Historic Van Asselt School

A new classroom and gymnasium addition were constructed and connected to the landmarked schoolhouse. The four-classroom landmarked building was renovated and modernized. The existing 1950s-era school building had some improvements to better serve as SPS’s southeast interim site.

Field Lighting Project

Field lighting is being added in summer 2024 to better serve the needs of Mercer International Middle School, community use, and future schools housed at Van Asselt School.

The project includes:

Four 70 foot tall galvanized steel light poles.
Six floodlights on each pole include heavy shielding to minimize offsite glare and light spilling to neighboring areas.
Two FAA warning lights on each pole will alert air traffic as to the location.
Light levels will be IES Class 4, which is the minimum required for safe play on the field.

Now Open

The Van Asselt Interim site now houses Mercer International Middle School. The new addition and renovated landmarked building were completed in fall 2023.

a classic schoolhouse with three floors and a covered entry — New main entry to left of historic building, looking southwest – Sept. 2023

a circular driveway with two buildings in the background — New main entry to left of historic building, looking southwest – Sept. 2023

About the Project

A new classroom and gymnasium addition were added to the the original Van Asselt School. The historic landmark schoolhouse underwent renovations. The project provides 30 additional new or rehabilitated classrooms on the campus. The 1950s-era, one-story school building remains on campus as well.

The two-story school addition includes 26 new classrooms, a new gymnasium, and the support and collaboration spaces that students need for academic success. The space provides opportunities for schools to customize their environment and showcase their school spirit in their temporary home. The addition is carefully designed to honor the original 1909 building and connect seamlessly with the four existing classrooms.

The Van Asselt site is used as an interim location by the school district. Schools occupy the site as their temporary home during replacement or renovation of their permanent school building. Expanding the Van Asselt campus provides more capacity and flexibility to house up to 1,000 students — either one middle school or two elementary schools.

Sustainable Construction

The new addition was built using engineered wood known as Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) for the floor panels and roof panels. These materials have carbon reduction and reduced greenhouse gas emissions over traditional steel and concrete. CLT materials use sustainably harvested wood products (a renewable resource).

Based on the Seattle School Board Green Energy Resolution, the addition will use no fossil fuels and rely on electricity for heating.

Features to reduce energy use: