Norfolk Public Schools PPEA - Southside STEM Academy at Campostella
Norfolk, Virginia
Square Footage
170,030 SF
Building Type
K-12 Education
Project Type
New Construction
Team
Architect-led
Services Provided
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Design, Construction Administration, Commissioning
Overview
Southside STEM Academy at Campostella was a new educational facility developed for Norfolk Public Schools as part of the City’s Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) initiative to modernize aging schools. The academy provided specialized learning environments focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education while serving middle school students in a modern academic setting. Integrated mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life-safety systems supported energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and reliable long-term building performance.
Challenges
- Designing building systems to support specialized STEM learning environments and flexible instructional spaces.
- Coordinating infrastructure within a large educational facility delivered as part of a multi-school PPEA program.
- Delivering reliable, energy-efficient systems capable of supporting diverse academic and collaborative spaces.
Goals
- Provide a modern academic environment that supported STEM-focused curriculum and hands-on learning.
- Enhance comfort, safety, and energy performance through high-efficiency building systems.
- Support Norfolk Public Schools’ long-term facilities modernization efforts through the PPEA initiative.
Project Team
- Owner: Norfolk City Public Schools
- Architect: RRMM, Waller Todd and Sadler Architects, now Woolpert and The Livas Group
- Structural: Speight Marshall Francis
- Civil:
- Contractor and PPEA Leader: S.B. Ballard Construction Company
Results
- Successfully delivered a modern STEM-focused educational facility for Norfolk Public Schools.
- Enhanced student learning environments through flexible instructional spaces and collaborative areas.
- Provided efficient, reliable building infrastructure designed to support long-term academic use.
