Improving on the past, the Walker-Grant Center’s recent renovation builds upon a history spanning eight decades and multiple generations of students. Part of the Fredericksburg City Public Schools in Virginia, this facility’s ongoing evolution preserves its heritage, serves the immediate needs of its community and stands prepared for its future.
The updated educational center now houses the Fredericksburg Regional Head Start program, the city’s Early Childhood Special Education classes, the Virginia Preschool Initiative, and the school administration offices.
A place of learning for 80+ years
Serving as Fredericksburg’s first publicly supported high school for African-American students, the two-story brick building was constructed in 1935. After 1968 when classrooms were integrated, the building became a middle school for all of the district’s students. It continued in its role as a public school until 1988, when a new Walker-Grant school was constructed.
The building was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, listed as “Original Walker-Grant.” Today, the building is known as the Walker-Grant Center.
A renovation project for future generations
To update the historic educational center for current and future students, the Fredericksburg School Board selected First Choice-Public Private Partners. This partnership paired Moseley Architects and English Construction, with Downey & Scott, LLC acting as construction manager for the $12.5 million project.
For the project’s significant renovations, Inwood Design Build installed 115,000 square feet of new Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling panels as supplied by IDI Distributors. The Walker-Grant Center’s design-build team selected Rockfon Artic®, Rockfon Sonar® and Rockfon® Hygienic Plus™ panels in 2-by-2-foot sizes for a consistent, clean, easy-to-maintain appearance throughout the facility.
