Work has started on this project at 901 N. Villa; at the east end of the Northcare campus.

This is all from the MA+ Architecture website:

"The 36,000 square-foot elementary school will have classrooms for Pre-K through 5th grade, art and music, special education, and outdoor learning opportunities. The facility also has a secure entry vestibule, offices, family support services, meeting rooms, and additional rooms for clothing and donations. Other features include a large, centrally located Commons area, Learning Stairs, an indoor/outdoor Library, a Maker Space, and Kitchen Lab. Two of the classrooms double as storm shelters during severe weather."

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positive1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positive2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positive3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positive4.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positive5.jpg

I LOVE this!

This is going to be such an improvement over their current location and is much needed. There is a lot of overlap with Northcare so locating next to them will be great.

Interesting, I live in the neighborhood just north of here which contains Hawthorne Elementary.
Is this going to be a charter school or will the two districts overlap and parents will have a choice which one to send their kids to?
Preemptive apologies for my ignorance on the subject as I do not have kids.

Interesting, I live in the neighborhood just north of here which contains Hawthorne Elementary.
Is this going to be a charter school or will the two districts overlap and parents will have a choice which one to send their kids to?
Preemptive apologies for my ignorance on the subject as I do not have kids.

It's a private school for children who are homeless or are typically in temporary residences (shelters, etc.). Once their family finds permanent housing, steady jobs, etc. the students are transitioned to a public school. Their biggest limitation has been capacity as the school they're in right now is very small so they haven't been able to accept the number of students that would benefit from Positive Tomorrows. This new school will be a big step in the right direction.

It's a private school for children who are homeless or are typically in temporary residences (shelters, etc.). Once their family finds permanent housing, steady jobs, etc. the students are transitioned to a public school. Their biggest limitation has been capacity as the school they're in right now is very small so they haven't been able to accept the number of students that would benefit from Positive Tomorrows. This new school will be a big step in the right direction.

Ahh I gotcha, thank you for your reply! Slightly bummed it won't affect property values (ha!) but this sounds like a great program, fully support.

How is Positive Tomorrows funded? Is it primarily through private dollars or is it mostly public?

How is Positive Tomorrows funded? Is it primarily through private dollars or is it mostly public?

I just looked at their annual report, and all their funding comes from private sources. Kevin Durant's foundation gave a big chunk.

https://www.positivetomorrows.org/

I just looked at their annual report, and all their funding comes from private sources. Kevin Durant's foundation gave a big chunk.

https://www.positivetomorrows.org/

They lost their federal funding 8 years ago which was a huge blow to the school, but they've turned things around with private funding and were able to hit their capital campaigns numbers for the new school.

https://newsok.com/article/3477486/oklahoma-city-school-for-homeless-children-back-on-top

What circumstances deems a child homeless and eligible to attend this school? Just wondering why the number of homeless children jumped from roughly 9,000 to over 12,000 as stated in the article.

What circumstances deems a child homeless and eligible to attend this school? Just wondering why the number of homeless children jumped from roughly 9,000 to over 12,000 as stated in the article.

There are a number of factors that apply for the students that can enroll, but the statistic below gives you a good idea:

"Last year, 12% of our students were couch homeless, meaning they slept in motels, cars, on floors, with friends, but did not have a home of their own, while 62% stayed in homeless shelters."

https://www.positivetomorrows.org/ending-homelessness/homeless-cycle-statistics/

I just looked at their annual report, and all their funding comes from private sources. Kevin Durant's foundation gave a big chunk.

https://www.positivetomorrows.org/

Say what you want about KD but when he left his charitable money didn't leave with him. He's kept funding things here

From today.

Steel is already going up. Northcare complex is to the left. General Pershing Blvd at the bottom of the frame and Villa in the upper right.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positivetomorrows110118a.jpg

I think Variety Care is in the NorthCare complex, the front building IIRC. I think the Remerge adult training center is also being build on the Positive Tomorrows land, judging by the billboard at the Villa entrance.

Is that an active rail line? Feels like a little odd to build a school right next to it if it is, but maybe that's not unusual.

I do like the campus layout.

Yes it is an active rail line. It makes a hard south turn just out of frame on the left side of this image. I don't think I have seen a train go faster that 5 mph on the rails pictured in the 36 years I've been in the area. This image is looking north and slightly to the east.

Yes, saw the train go through there today in fact.

I was just gonna ask about this line the other day, and kept forgetting. I cross it most days on the way to and from work, and always wondered, especially since there are no lights (just the sign).

I was just gonna ask about this line the other day, and kept forgetting. I cross it most days on the way to and from work, and always wondered, especially since there are no lights (just the sign).

I think the fact that you cross it almost daily and still wanted a to ask about it speaks volumes about how active it is. I have been told that when Acme Brick and United Brick both made brick in the land north of the rail line it was more active. Acme bought United in the 1960s and stopped brick manufacturing there in the 1970s. The rail line still services Acme for deliveries, and runs behind the Coca-Cola plant, an AT&T cable facility, an auto parts company, Forest Lumber, plus Forest Windows and Doors, IIRC. I would be surprised if we hear the train more than twice a week. But we might have become immune to the noise after many years.

Is that an active rail line? Feels like a little odd to build a school right next to it if it is, but maybe that's not unusual.

I do like the campus layout.

It is, yes, although it's only an industrial spur that only sees activity a couple of times a week. I believe the only customers are the Purina plant at the end of the line, near NW 4th and Western, and Forest Building Materials, near May and Gordon Cooper Blvd.

Fun fact: That line used to be the main Rock Island alignment through Oklahoma City, before Union Station was built and the rail lines were relocated in 1930.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/newtomorrows111118.jpg

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2019/01/homeless-children-school-design-ok-city-positive-tomorrows/581152/

Thanks for that, Pete. Good stuff!

https://kfor.com/2019/02/22/school-for-homeless-children-to-open-new-45000-square-foot-facility-this-fall/

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positivetomorrows110118a.jpg
East of the NorthCare complex... I've given a friend rides to that facility on numerous occasions to get his meds. Good development in fill that'll bring life into the area.

Laramie, not to mention the two other developments in this area. Hopefully this development pattern spreads east to Linwood BLVD.

Project complete.

This facility is on the architecture tour:

https://aiacoc.org/?p=5749

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/positivetomorrows060621a.jpg