When in operation, Robert Reid Laboratory School served as a facility where Eastern Washington University students could observe classroom instruction unseen, and as an elementary school in the Cheney School District.
The city of Cheney is currently holding a public comment period on an application from Bernardo Wills Architects on behalf of Eastern Washington University to demolish the former Robert Reid Laboratory School on campus.
Built in 1959, Robert Reid Laboratory School first served the university's education department as a place where education students could observe teaching methods through windows on an observation deck. Up until its closure in 2009, the school was a collaborative effort between the university and the Cheney School District with the district providing staff and curriculum and Eastern paying the facilities operating costs.
Since then Eastern has used the building as office space while construction of other buildings on campus, notably Patterson Hall, was ongoing. With that construction concluded, the university intends to demolish the 32,232 square foot structure to make room for a new Science Building once state funding becomes available.
According to information on the applicant's State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) form, the school is one of the last elementary schools outfitted for this type of classroom observation in the nation. As such, one of the mitigation measures being required is a historic survey documenting as many aspects and elements of the school as possible such as photographs, specific site information, biographical information of the original architect and complete stylistic descriptions of the building, including changes made over time.
"We required similar mitigation when the SEPA came in for the NP (Northern Pacific) depot," Cheney planner Brett Lucas said in an email, referring to Cheney's train station owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway.
The demolition will also require an asbestos survey to determine if any and how much of the hazardous material is in the building. If asbestos is found, it will be required to be removed by a certified asbestos abatement contractor prior to demolition.
No demolition costs have been attached to the application, although Shawn King, EWU's associate vice president for facilities and planning, said in an email that they are close to getting an estimated project cost from their consultant.
The public comment period ends Friday, May 29, at 5 p.m. The complete file can be viewed at the city's Permit Center for the Community Development Department, 112 Anderson Road, between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Comments can be submitted online to Lucas at blucas@cityofcheney.org. If approved, Eastern hopes to begin the demolition process sometime this summer.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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