The PZS Project Team was on site for a tour of Esperanza Academy Charter Elementary School, an exciting project we designed that is now under construction. The new 73,000 sf school will be located at 201 W. Hunting Park Ave., much closer to the main Esperanza campus than the current facility being used and will house up to 800 students. Included in the design are 30 classrooms, a state-of-the-art cafeteria and gymnasium, a music room, and a playground. Designed for flexibility and multiple uses, the gymnasium and cafeteria will be divided by a movable wall, which will allow for the space to be expanded and used for school assemblies, family events, and more. The site will have a secure space for arrival and dismissal which will include bus lanes. Once this new Elementary Charter School is complete and open, Esperanza Academy Charter School, which currently serves over 1,600 students in grades K-2 and 5-12 will be the second-largest single charter school in Philadelphia, serving over 2,200 students in grades K-12.
Esperanza Academy Charter School has been serving students in the Hunting Park community for more than 20 years. This new Elementary Charter School is a continuation of Esperanza’s educational system, which includes learning facilities from kindergarten through college. PZS has partnered with Esperanza for more than 25 years in their efforts to provide students with a cohesive learning experience, and this new school is a major part of that effort. Our relationship with Esperanza is ongoing, and we are honored to be a part of the effort to improve the lives of students, faculty, and members of the local community.