The City of Las Vegas’ historic Westside School was originally built in 1923 and was recently rehabilitated to reflect its original condition. The updated facility, which has not functioned as a school for over 50 years, was repurposed to include meeting and exhibit space and now serves as a local community center. The project also included the restoration of the 13,300 SF Annex Building, built as an addition to the school in 1948, which now houses a local radio station, café, offices and retail spaces. The radio station studio areas, which were relocated from the 1923 building, were moved and kept live throughout construction. Newly landscaped areas around the buildings create a place to socialize, appreciate public art and provide a learning experience through exterior displays illustrating the historical significance of the site.

The buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and the Westside School is the oldest schoolhouse in Las Vegas. The 1923 wood floors were restored to their original condition and the 1948 windows in the Annex Building were designed and installed to meet current codes and historic requirements. Natural gas-fired heat pumps were installed at the central plant to provide heating and cooling at a fraction of the cost while maintaining the historical design. The structural upgrades to wood-framing and repairs to the foundation, slab and walls were self-performed by Whiting-Turner.

This project is pursuing LEED® certification and won the American Public Works Association’s 2018 Public Works Project of the Year.