New Dicken Elementary building scheduled for fall 2027

ANN ARBOR, MI – Some neighbors are questioning the placement of the new Dicken Elementary School and any potential work-related disruptions as Ann Arbor Public Schools readies its next phase of major bond work.

Construction to replace the current facility at 2135 Runnymede Blvd. is slated to begin next spring in a neighborhood on the southwest side.

The schedule is weather-dependent and the project is to be completed in two years, putting students in the new school south of it current location in the fall of 2027.

Some nearby residents, however, expressed some nervousness during a project forum Monday, Sept. 9, over details like lighting, the noise emitted during construction of a geothermal bore field to support the new school’s heating and cooling, and the close proximity of the school to some of its neighbors.

Stephanie Corona, a project executive for Gilbane Building Co., said the new school will be moved to the south end of the school site, where a ball field is, for two reasons.

“One is we’re trying to rotate the building for a southern exposure for natural light for the building, for the educational portion of the building,” she said. Gilbane is working with AAPS’ capital programs team on projects related to the massive $1 billion bond passed by voters five years ago.

The other reason is to keep students in their current school building while construction is ongoing, Corona said. “I’m pretty sure this school community doesn’t really want to have their children go five miles aweay or four miles away to a temporary building.”

Residents asked about whether students would have access to outdoor play during construction, how some features such as a memorial bench or school garden will be maintained and when technical decisions about needing to replace the school were made.

Sally Steward, a parent and past staff member at Dicken working at another AAPS school, said she lives a corner off Kent Street, near construction site, and it seems the school would place students “right in people’s backyard.”

“I’m hoping I don’t harm someone’s privacy, seeing in their classroom, what’s going on with students,” she said. “Because I’m very cautious of that as a staff member, let alone community (member).”

Jason Bing, AAPS’ director of capital programs, said the school board gave bond officials their “marching orders” several years ago as they signed off on recommended projects for phase two of the district’s capital program from 2025 through 2030.

Kevin Stansbury, project design manager for Gilbane, said the impetus was always to do new neighborhood schools.

“We will be looking at major renovations and new construction on 19 or 20 buildings, and the reason for it is these buildings don’t serve the purpose that they need to serve anymore,” he said. “They’re, on average, 65 years old, and the way they’re arranged is not conducive to the kind of learning that our students need to do or the kind of teaching that our teachers need to do. They’re also not energy-efficient.”

The new Dicken will consist of two two-story “learning wings,” Stansbury said, each with classrooms that share common areas. There will also be a central library on both floors and a café area beside the single-level gymnasium and office spaces, additional security layers, and an up-to-date kitchen.

Stansbury said they expect to build the parking capacity of staff with space enough for 10 visitors, likely keeping the existing northern lot, and area for three buses and parents to pull up.

Things like stormwater implications and what outdoor areas will look like were still being addressed in design, he said.

Originally built in 1957, Dicken is close to 43,200 square feet on 10 acres. Stansbury said on average, new schools were 12,000 square feet larger in size than the structures they’re replacing.

This update was the first of six sessions organized this month for bond projects.

Forums are slated for Lakewood Elementary, Slauson Middle, Logan Elementary, and Thurston Elementary from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 10, 16, 24, and 26, respectively. Lawton Elementary is hosting one from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23.

For more information on bond projects, visit https://a2schoolsbond.org.

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