On January 7, 2025, the unthinkable happened. Massive wildfires tore through areas of Los Angeles County, burning over 57 acres, leaving lives in shambles as beloved homes and businesses were gone instantly.

An evident strain was the destruction the fires set on Palisades Charter High School—colloquially known as Pali High—which left approximately 2,500 students without a campus to go to. This resulted in a return to online learning, a setting too familiar as five years earlier, these students were ripped from their educational experience because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building schools is in the DNA of C.W. Driver, so when the firm saw the damage to Pali High, the team rushed to create a temporary campus—Pali High South. Through a partnership with design firm Gensler, the former Sears retail building—a Santa Monica landmark—was transformed into a safe, fully equipped learning environment for 2,500 Pali High students only three months after the fires took place.

WORKING FROM A BLANK SLATE

The former Santa Monica Sears building was selected for several reasons: Its existing infrastructure, modern upgrades and open plan layout allowed for the creation of a unique learning environment.

In 2020, the building was partially renovated after two years, as developers converted the structure from three stories into four with original plans to occupy it with offices and restaurants. Tenants couldn’t move in due to the pandemic, but the structure provided an ample head start as the building was gutted and new HVAC system provisions, upgraded electrical equipment, and the head end equipment for a code-compliant fire and life safety system were already in place.

The basic building components were in place, and still C.W. Driver had to transform it into an environment conducive to learning, as its current layout was geared towards a retail and mixed-use space. The firm navigated the building’s infrastructure and floor plan to help transform it into a proper school that could hold thousands of students circulating to different classrooms while also providing an intimate learning experience—not to mention a respite from the new-found stressors of daily life in the still-recovering Los Angeles.

The materiality and open floor plans of the building made way for the innovative use of space. Its steel-and-concrete structure provided a durable and fire-resistant shell that is lightweight, offering flexibility within. Each floor also had 20,000 to 30,000 square feet of open layout, paving way to carve out 90 classrooms and various support spaces in a timely manner.

Additionally, its location made it logistically desirable. Situated in the heart of Downtown Santa Monica, the project provides easy access to public transportation and notable roadways. A pedestrian tunnel also offers a safe walkway from the school to the city, so that students, staff and parents would not have to cross busy streets. Santa Monica is also a neighboring town of the Pacific Palisades, allowing students to resume their schooling in a familiar area.

NEED FOR (BUILDING) SPEED

On average, the design and construction for a high school of this magnitude would take upwards of three to four years from conception to completion. However, the goal was to get students back on campus as soon as possible, so much so that the campus was able to be finished in 25 days.  

There are several factors that helped expedite the construction and design of Pali High South. Aside from materials that were already embedded into the structure, C.W. Driver was able to use off-the-shelf materials like standard 8-10-feet studs and drywall, which avoided delays in ordering and cutting. Of course, this rapid pace wouldn’t have happened without generous donations.  Over 100,000 square feet of flooring was donated by companies like Mohawk and Shaw, alongside carpets, some acoustic materials and graphics, which helped reduce incremental costs.

Aside from donations, the robust collaboration between all parties involved significantly helped the speed of construction. As Gensler is an international design firm, its designers worked on the project at all hours as they were able to enlist support from California to Bangalore, India.

Even as support was available from offices approximately 9,000 miles away, a project with such urgency needed a strong all-hands-on-deck approach at its home base. C.W. Driver’s senior superintendent, Ray Weaver, worked tirelessly each day, coordinating 130 workers over two shifts—work that sometimes lasted until 10 p.m. To prevent the stresses of commuting, on-site living was also provided.

Critically, robust collaboration was necessary to complete a project within this timeframe. The City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Fire allowed for design, permitting and inspections to happen simultaneously instead of sequentially, which would normally exceed 18 months. C.W. Driver also handpicked subcontractors with pre-approved insurance, contracts and design-build capability, which allowed them to begin work instantly.

BRINGING BACK NORMALCY

Certainly, a former big box retail store is not immediately equipped to hold a high school campus. However, C.W. Driver was able to recreate several spaces that carried the spirit of Pali High.

Aside from classrooms, the construction team was able to implement a small library, music rooms and support areas, and Gensler implemented graphics that remained true to the color and character of the school.

What wasn’t innately present in the former big box retailer was noise prevention systems. When C.W. Driver first began work on Pali High South, noise was able to travel from one side of the building thanks to the original open concept. From previous experience building schools and implementing noise prevention, Gensler and C.W. Driver developed three tangible solutions: acoustic wall panels, InsulQuilt blankets and carpet enhancements.

Acoustic wall panels were added in classrooms and common areas to lessen reverberation, helping improve focus. InsulQuilt blankets were suspended from the ceiling deck to the top of walls to prevent sound from bouncing between floors. Carpet enhancements were incorporated into floors and partition walls to absorb sound and reduce echo. All these factors ultimately enhanced the intimate experience of sharing a learning environment with peers and staff.

BUILDING ON A MISSION

C.W. Driver has been building educational institutions for over a century and when Palisades High was damaged by the wildfire, there was only one solution: rebuild.

These were the same students who had to endure many formative years online due to the pandemic. The new Pali High South campus was able to keep students close to their peers and instructors and maintain a strong sense of community.

The project was also incredibly personal to C.W. Driver, as a significant number of team members were affected by the fires throughout Los Angeles as well.

However, most importantly, the temporary campus is an emblem of C.W. Driver’s values of community impact, collaboration, innovation and speed under pressure. Pali High South was not a heroic effort; it was a necessary feat. It wasn’t another school that was built; it was the preservation of a learning environment.

The project would not have been possible without the robust support of C.W. Driver’s partners: AJ Kirkwood & Associates, ACCO, ProCraft Construction, Continental, Raymond Group, PDF Flooring and Pacific Carpets, among several others.  

SEE ALSO: FROM THE ASHES: RECONSTRUCTING AFTER THE MAUI WILDFIRE