Oxford Elementary School students will be temporarily uprooted in 2018-19 due to major renovations slated for the campus. Families can learn about the construction and relocation plans, and provide input, at a community meeting tonight, May 31.
The $10 million Oxford modernization project will add a multi-purpose room with a kitchen, café and supportive services, create new classroom space in the existing building, update the playground and add solar paneling to the North Berkeley school. Oakland-based Hibser Yamauchi Architects is responsible for the design.
During construction, all Oxford classes will likely be temporarily relocated to the West Campus at 2020 Bonar St. The West Campus will undergo renovations of its own next year, to prepare it to serve as a “swing site” for displaced students from Oxford and elsewehre. It may become a brand-new elementary school in the future.
The Oxford project is funded with revenue from Measure I, the $210 million bond measure passed by voters in 2010. Earlier this year the Berkeley School Board reallocated the remaining funds, focusing on a small number of large-scale construction projects. The costliest Measure I project is the $35 million modernization of Berkeley High School’s A Building, including massive renovations to the Berkeley Community Theater and Little Theater.
At Wednesday’s community meeting on the Oxford modernization, the project manager and architects will be on hand to answer questions and discuss plans. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Oxford school cafeteria at 1130 Oxford St.
