Jones Hall Renovation, The Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind

Colorado Springs, CO

"The RTA staff has provided innovative thinking to help us reach our goals...while keeping each project within our budget.”

Carol Hilty, Former Superintendent

Why

Connecting through experience of place.

This Thomas McLaren-designed building has gone a complete interior renovation as part of the multi-phase RTA master plan for the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (CSDB). The CSDB is listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties and is the only school in the state of Colorado dedicated solely to the education of the deaf and the blind.

How

Ever curious. Ever learning. Ever improving.

The Colorado Instructional Materials Center (CIMC), which houses and manages braille and large print volumes for distribution to students and school districts throughout the state of Colorado, was split between two different buildings on the CSDB campus. It was consolidated in Jones Hall upon the renovation’s completion.

CIMC’s staff offices and braille production areas are located on the top floor. The braille, large print, and adaptive device collections are housed on all three floors at the east end of the structure using high density storage accommodating approximately 7,775 linear feet of shelving.

What

Purposeful, engaging solutions.

The second floor features two new guest suites set aside for visiting parents of students, families who are visiting the campus, and other campus guests, all of whom had to previously stay off-campus.

A shared conference room, that also functions as the low vision clinic, is also located on the second floor, and this space is the first one that a visitor will encounter when stepping off the elevator. The clinic will allow students to try out prescribed adaptive devices to ensure the best possible solution for each child. 

The exterior design of the historic building includes the addition of an at-grade accessible entrance and a new elevator, increasing the usability and access to all portions of the building for students, staff, and visitors.

LEED Gold certified, energy-efficient features include new windows with high-efficiency thermal glazing, daylighting, and high-performance mechanical systems.

Project Details

  • Square footage:12,800 SF
  • Project cost: $4.894M

Design Details

  • High density storage
  • Braille production area
  • Shipping and receiving
  • Guest suites
  • Administrative offices
  • Conference room that doubles as a low-vision clinic
  • At-grade accessible entrance
  • Historic preservation
  • Energy-efficient mechanical systems and new windows
  • Photography by Vic Moss

Recognition

  • 2019 Award of Excellence, Presented by the Historic Preservation Alliance of Colorado Springs
  • LEED Gold certification, Presented by the USGBC