The Shefa School

As Construction Manager for the renovation and addition of an existing 11-story facility, Mc Gowan transformed this structure into a new 12-story, first-class private Jewish community day school with an outdoor play roof, with a total of approximately 81,250 SF overall.

The completed building features classrooms tailored to the needs of lower and middle school students, a spacious lobby, large gym, second-story atrium, cafeteria, a Beit Midrash for study and prayer, dedicated gathering spaces for programming and celebrations, and the outdoor play roof.

The Shefa School repurposed a 1920s office building to establish a permanent home for its expanding student body. The century-old structure served as a framework to vertically stack the school’s program across 12 floors. The design accommodates Shefa’s specialized instructional approach, providing dual-language, personalized education for K–8 students with learning disabilities.

To repurpose the historic core and shell, substantial structural modifications were undertaken, including the restructuring of new circulation cores. While only the roof and 11th floor were initially removed, four levels—the 11th floor, 11th floor mezzanine, 12th floor, and roof—were ultimately reconstructed as a steel-framed structure, while preserving the original terracotta façade and copper cornice. Homeroom spaces were designed to include soundproof dividers as well as dedicated heating and cooling for greater flexibility and functionality.

Read more about the school's project on the Shefa School website.