Grand Rapids — Grand Rapids Public Schools has unveiled initial designs and renderings for the new elementary school slated to replace Aberdeen Academy and Palmer Elementary in fall 2027.
During an informational meeting at the existing Aberdeen building site, the district and its architectural partners presented a first look at plans for what will be the first new school to be built in Northeast Grand Rapids in 60 years, said Luke Stier, GRPS director of communications.
‘It’s been just a great process of making sure that all of our stakeholders are providing feedback (for) a school building that will allow our scholars to succeed.’
— Luke Stier, director of communications
Stier said the renderings showcase a building design that pays homage to the red hawk, which is the mascot of both Palmer and Aberdeen. He said a theme of “taking flight” is present throughout the renderings.
“The building itself has two wings and a body,” said Stier, “kind of like two flocks of birds coming together, which is what’s going to happen here with two school communities.”
The new school will fit 450 students and will feature expanded parking and green space, a two-story media center, plenty of natural light, an added playground, a modern cafeteria and gym, and a safe and secure vestibule entrance.
“Safety is our top priority,” Stier said, noting that the district always aims to improve safety and security when it undertakes a renovation or new construction project.
To that end, bus parking and parent pick-up and drop-off locations — which are currently on the street — will be moved to a designated area.
“As we bring two schools together, we’re going to have more scholars and more staff there, so we really wanted to make sure we took that pick-up and drop-off (area) off the street,” he said.
The district sought input from the public about the project in 2024. Stier said the Aberdeen and Palmer communities underscored the importance of preserving those schools’ legacies; GRPS aims to do that by taking pieces of the Aberdeen and Palmer buildings and incorporating them into the new school.
The teaching and learning teams at Aberdeen and Palmer also weighed in on the designs before they were revealed to the public.
“It’s been just a great process of making sure that all of our stakeholders are providing feedback (for) a school building that will allow our scholars to succeed,” he said.
There’s still no name for the new school, but Stier said there will be opportunities for the community to weigh in on what they think the new building should be called.
The $38 million project will be the largest to come out of the “Reimagine GRPS With Us!” facilities master plan and the district’s 2023 bond.
Construction will start sometime this year behind the current Aberdeen site at 928 Aberdeen St. NE. Once the school opens, students and staff from Aberdeen and Palmer will make the move to the new location, at which point the Aberdeen building will be demolished. The future of the current Palmer building is still undetermined, but Stier said the district will continue to engage with the community as it looks into possible future uses for the space.
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