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Duke Ellington School of the Arts: Its History and Modernization (Webinar)
February 24, 2022 @ 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Photo courtesy of cox graae + spack architects
The DC Preservation League invites you to join us on Thursday, February 24th at Noon for a virtual program about the historic Duke Ellington School of the Arts!
Originally built as Western High School in 1898, this hilltop landmark found in Georgetown was one of DC’s first buildings designed specifically for high school education. Duke Ellington School co-founders, Peggy Cooper Cafritz and Mike Malone, wanted to establish a school for DC students with a passion for the arts and officially welcomed their first class to the building in 1974. The school is named after Edward “Duke” Ellington, a native Washingtonian and world renowned bandleader and composer.
An ambitious renovation of the school began in 2014 that sought to restore the historic fabric of the building while modernizing and expanding the space for its students and faculty. The award winning project was completed in 2017 and is LEED Gold Certified.
Christoffer Graae and Kim Daileader will lead a presentation that explores the history, rehabilitation, and modernization of this important DC landmark.
This program is free and open to the public.
Speakers
Christoffer Graae, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal Emeritus, cox graae + spack architects
A co-founding principal of cox graae + spack architects started in 1981 in Georgetown, after 43 years in practice Chris retired at the end of 2018 and now works as a consultant to the firm. In addition to his management role as president of the 25-person firm – which has won over 90 regional and national design awards – he led the design effort for many of the firm’s major public and private sector institutional, educational and religious commissions.
These have included: 20 years of projects at the George Washington University including major renovations and additions to the Law School, the new South Residence Hall and Gelman Library; the modernization of Woodrow Wilson High School; the Potomac Job Corps Center; Folger Shakespeare Library; Central Union Mission at Gales School; Washington Theological Union Campus; Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament School and Church; and the World Bank Headquarters. Chris’ most recent project and the highlight of his career requiring the majority of his last five years of practice was leading the $162m modernization of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Chris received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1975 and in 2014 became a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He has served on many Board of Directors over the years including 4 years on the AIA Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, 10 on the Abramson Scholarship Foundation and 8 on the Georgetown Business Improvement District where he provided leadership in the Georgetown 2028 Project. Chris has also provided volunteer and pro-bono services for hurricane relief reconstruction in Mississippi and Alabama, DC Public Schools, Central Union Mission, Washington Hospital Center, and La Maison, among others.
In recent years Chris has been able to focus more on the needs of his community around Annapolis. He has been a regular volunteer on Arundel River Foundation oyster and shoreline restoration projects and in the Fall and Winter of 2018 he worked on two of the new Anne Arundel County Executive Pittman’s Transition Committees to assist in recommendations and establishing goals for sustainability and resiliency. He is currently assisting in several initiatives including: establishing a Task Force for the acquisition and adaptive re-use by the county of the historic but long-shuttered Crownsville Hospital Center; assisting historic Baldwin Hall in Millersville in grant funding and establishing a long term preservation plan; establishing a Recycling Advisory Committee for AACo to be a leader in dealing with today’s issues and technology; initiating the location of a Community Solar Pilot Project here on our Mayo Peninsula on AACo surplus land and at its existing public school facilities; lead the effort for Neighbors of the Mayo Peninsula to fight the development of a critical 45 acres of forest adjacent to our sensitive river and put it in a Land Conservation Easement: joined the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Campaign Committee to bring its headquarters and mini-campus up to Net Zero performance.
Kim Daileader, LEED Green Associate, Director of Technical Preservation Services, EHT Traceries, Inc.
Kim Daileader is a Senior Project Manger and Director of Technical Preservation Services with EHT Traceries. Kim regularly manages project teams through the rigorous review processes by the Commission of Fine Arts, National Capital Planning Commission, and the DC Historic Preservation Office. She works on Section 106 Consultation, National Environmental Protection Act, Building Preservation Plans, Historic Structures Report, Historic Tax Credits, National Register Nominations, and Determinations of Eligibility. She has regularly worked with DC State Historic Preservation Office on the rehabilitation of historic schools throughout the District, including the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Prior to work at Traceries, Kim completed a year-long fellowship at the General Services Administration Public Building Service. She also complete a four month fellowship at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.
cox graae + spack architects was founded in Georgetown in 1981 to provide services in master planning, architecture and interior design. For over 36 years their firm has worked in the Washington, DC area to create architecture and interiors of exceptional quality, winning over 75 national and regional design awards. With each project they strive to build long-term relationships with their clients by delivering outstanding technical and aesthetic services
EHT Traceries, Inc. is a women-owned, award winning research and consulting firm specializing in architectural history and historic preservation. The firm works with property owners, neighborhood groups, government agencies, national organizations as well as architectural, development, legal, and preservation communities. They are nationally recognized for their expertise in developing successful preservation solutions and strategies for both public and private projects spanning the United States and beyond.
