The $35.6M design-build project will transform a historic school into a modern community center.
On Monday, June 22, 2026, the District of Columbia Department of General Services (DGS), Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), Mayor Muriel Bowser, community members, and project partners gathered to break ground on the new Crummell Community Center at the historic Alexander Crummell School site in Ward 5.
Led by the design-build team of GCS-SIGAL and DLR Group, the $35.6 million project will transform the long-vacant school building into a modern recreation and community center while honoring the legacy of one of Ivy City’s most meaningful historic landmarks. Constructed in 1911, the Alexander Crummell School served generations of students and has long remained an important part of the neighborhood’s history.
When complete, the new Crummell Community Center will bring expanded recreation, wellness, and gathering spaces to the Ivy City community, including a fitness room, maker space, indoor playroom, community room, senior lounge, demonstration kitchen, teen lounge and e-gaming room, exercise studio, splashpad, playgrounds, and a multi-purpose field. The project is also designed to include energy and sustainability features such as LEED Silver certification, Appendix Z compliance, and solar panels.
SK&A is grateful to contribute structural engineering expertise in support of this important community project. Our work includes structural design services, existing condition evaluation, and structural repair documents for the historic building. The repair scope addresses key elements of the existing structure, including the exterior multi-wythe brick masonry façade, lintels, concrete-encased steel framing, and wood-framed roof structure, with material sampling and testing supporting the repair effort.
Justin Long, PE, RBEC, BECxP, and J. David Pirnia, PE, attended the groundbreaking on behalf of SK&A. The broader SK&A team also includes David Klein, PE; Zachary D. Shugart, PE; and Josue Hernandez.
Congratulations to DGS, DPR, the Ivy City community, GCS-SIGAL, DLR Group, and the full project team on this meaningful milestone. SK&A is honored to support the transformation of this historic site into a welcoming community center that will serve residents for generations to come.
