James L. McKeown Elementary School | Beverly, MA

Expansion and Renovation

Centrally-located on a five-acre site in downtown Beverly, this two-story, 45,000 square foot elementary school houses 325 students in grades K-5. The design concept recalls the prototypical New England schoolhouse and the late 19th-century manufacturing buildings of this historic mill town.

The focal point of the plan is a large bell tower designating the school’s main entrance. Upon entering the building, students and visitors are welcomed by a bright, two-story lobby that features a stepped-seating area large enough to accommodate an entire class of students. Expansive interior windows connect the lobby visually to the sunken cafeteria below, and to the instructional media center on the second floor above.