Findley Community Learning Center

Transforming Education and Community

The Findley Community Learning Center (CLC) caters to 555 students spanning from kindergarten through 5th grade. This facility surpasses the basic requirements of Ohio’s educational programs by incorporating locally funded initiatives. The design of the facility took advantage of the opportunity to master-plan the entire city block, which includes neighboring structures such as an Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA) apartment tower, a City of Akron Park, and the proposed removal of a convenience retail center.

The CLC functions as an elementary school during the day and is open for community use during evenings, weekends, and summers. The design prioritizes positioning the CLC as the central point of focus within the neighborhood, seamlessly integrating it with a new AMHA facility, shared parking facilities, and enhanced green spaces. This cohesive approach creates a vibrant and unified community hub.

Client / Owner

Akron Public Schools

Key Features

Key Feature

63,516 sf

Numerous kindergarten classrooms, standard classrooms, special education classrooms, resource rooms, a media center, a dining facility with a fully equipped kitchen, and a gymnasium

Architecture Services ProvidedArchitecture Design Interior Design

Findley community learning center 5 interior library 2

findley community learning center 4 interior gym 2

Findley community learning center 3 interior cafeteria 2

findley community learning center 2 interior hallway 2

findley community learning center 1 exterior 2

Project Achievements

Every project we undertake serves as a wellspring of knowledge and experience, feeding our collective growth and paving the way to optimize outcomes, leverage efficiencies, foster collaboration, and advance innovation. Throughout the journey of this project, these accomplishments have been instrumental in its overall success and have fortified our collective expertise.

Given that the original Findley Elementary was over a century old, it was deemed more cost-effective to demolish it and construct a new building. Through community outreach meetings, specific features from the original school, such as the sandstone vertical sundial, wrought iron handrails, and a beautiful stained-glass skylight, were identified for restoration and preservation, seamlessly integrated into the new design.