PACE provided land surveying services for the Rainier Beach High School Replacement project, a multifaceted endeavor enhancing an education facility. This multi-phase project includes a new multi-story 233,700 SF high school, modernization of the existing performing arts center, and off-site improvements, all located on an irregularly shaped 21.5 acres containing four parcels with various grading levels. PACE’s scope of work included surveying to support the design of the project, coordination with the district’s design team, topographic surveying of existing land and elevations, mapping of identifiable features, surveying surrounding streets per Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) standards and surveying existing utilities.
Navigating potential conflicts surrounding the school’s building’s location proved to be a key challenge in this project. Recognizing the significance of this issue, PACE proactively collaborated with the district’s real estate section to research encumbrances to the overall property. For nearly a century, the school has occupied the property it currently resides in. Its long-standing relationship with the community has limited the encumbrances to the property and prevented property lines from shifting with changing ownership. The property has also been affected by changing roads and vacated rights-of-way. Once the design team prepared the 30% submittal, the city provided an initial comment about a non-existent road that adversely affected the property where the school building is located. PACE then contacted the title company and the district’s counsel to provide historic plat information, which was compiled during the early stages of the project. PACE and the district’s representatives reviewed the historical maps and city ordinances to ensure there were no adverse effects on the placement of the new school concerning existing rights-of-way. A solution was developed to submit a revision recommendation to city reviewers so the road rights-of-way would not be viewed as affecting the site. The recommendation is currently under review.
