Linderman Education Center is a safer, brighter and more accessible learning environment for staff and students in the wake of a $4.2 million renovation project that upgraded aging mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure.

Located on Third Avenue East in Kalispell, Linderman serves Flathead and Glacier high school students. Last year the facility served 185 students.

Roofing, flooring and windows also were replaced. A grant funded light fixture replacements.

From start to finish, architects, engineers and contractors with Jackola and Swank Enterprises had a collection of construction methods and materials dating back to the 1920s to contend with.

The original part of the building was completed in 1939. A second-story addition was built onto the north wing in 1959. Around this time, a 1926 church building located on the south side of the center, was purchased and connected to Linderman. The last time any upgrades were done on the building was in 1995.

Walking in the main entrance at the back of the building one change is obvious to people familiar with the building. A fuse box dating to the 1950s is gone. The box once raised safety concerns with staff because the fuses screwed into live sockets. The amount of natural light throughout the building is another noticeable difference. Single-pane windows, many of them boarded up in the ’80s, were replaced with high efficiency double-pane windows, according to Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Mark Flatau. Linderman Director Jodie Barber also noted another style of window that was replaced.

“If you remember the front of the building, all of these windows were like the 8-by-8 or 6-by-6 glass blocks you can’t see through are now full glass — there’s so much more light,” Barber said.

Energy efficiency and building temperature was improved after switching from a steam boiler to a hot boiler system.

She then pointed out wood trim and exposed brick, details that showcase the history of the building.

“We’re in a really old building and have some really beautiful architectural features and that’s what I wanted us to try to keep,” Barber said.

A set of double doors and restrooms were demolished in the main level corridor. The demolition opened up the space to create a commons area for students to gather and provide a clear line of sight for staff. New bathrooms were built in an area of relatively unused space between the old church building and gym.

The renovation encompassed about 40,000 square feet.

“We didn’t add square footage to our building, but we designed some parts and made it more efficient and useful for us,” Barber said.

Although construction didn’t add square footage, more existing space was gained after organizations housed in the building relocated, including the district driver’s ed program and Northwest Montana Educational Cooperative.

The old church building, which previously housed the cooperative, was remodeled into two classrooms.

“These are my two favorite classrooms, because again, I love the exposed brick. We kept the high ceilings,” Barber said.

The basement below the old church was transformed into a cafeteria. This was one area where construction hit a snag, when crews discovered a wooden column was rotten. While the building was not in immediate danger of collapse since the rest of the building was supported, it would have sagged severely and caused problematic settling over time, Project Manager Shawn Baker of Swank Enterprises said in a July 2019 Daily Inter Lake article. The column was replaced with a structural steel column.

This snag, combined with the amount of money needed to upgrade the mechanical, electrical and plumbing ate up the initial $3.4 million project budget and led to the district to allocate additional funds to the project in order to do work beyond deferred maintenance.

Once dark and musty, the basement is now an inviting space for students to eat, gather or get information on college, scholarship and jobs on display in one corner.

A lift and elevator provide wheelchair accessibility to the building’s three levels. In the past, classes had to be moved around to accommodate students who used wheelchairs.

In the gym, ceiling tiles damaged by basketballs have been removed, providing added height for students to play sports. The stage, once a busy place that served as both cafeteria and classroom, now features a fitness and weight room.

The ASPIRE program was one of the programs housed on the stage. ASPIRE is the district’s self-contained special education program where high school students may attend full or half days.

“Between our P.E. classes and our cafeteria ... it was really a chaotic environment,” Barber said.

During renovations, ASPIRE was relocated to the north end of the building in a quieter setting with its own entrance.

“So this is a vast improvement,” Barber said.

Another vast improvement was the culinary arts room.

“The culinary room of old had a sink, but we only had plug-ins on this [one] counter,” Barber said. “We needed a new culinary room. So we have actual cooking stations. We have a dishwasher. We have industrial hoods.”

Barber also highlighted a woods classroom, where a new construction math class was taught and students built workbenches using hand tools.

“It’s been a big addition, since we don’t have any hands-on vocational classes offered at Linderman,” she said.

Barber said she hopes to offer more vocational-type classes to teach practical skills to students who want to enter the workforce after high school. While some students take vocational classes at Flathead or the vo-ag center, those don’t always fit in a student’s schedule.

The goal at Linderman is to meet the needs of students, and not just in education.

“This is a great new addition we didn’t have before,” Barber said, opening the door to a new laundry and shower room.

“Whether kids are homeless, or kids, for whatever reason, need a shower, we have that availability,” Barber said.

One of the spaces that remains unfinished, but has been brought up to code with an additional exit, is the lower level below the stage. The area used to be locker rooms. The mostly vacant space contains a kiln and pottery wheels and is where Barber hopes a ceramics classroom will be built, depending on what funding remains from a $28.8 million high school district bond issue after a parking expansion, the final project, is completed at Flathead.

Barber also envisions a student health clinic for the space where medical personnel would come in once or twice a week, starting with a therapist. Barber realizes it’s a future goal, but said staff have found that students with medical needs face barriers to accessing health care, whether it’s an issue of transportation, scheduling or not having medical insurance.

“If we can provide as many services as we can on-site the better for our kids,” Barber said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.