Creative Grounds

West Pullman Elementary School was designed incrementally in three different parts, over the years.

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After its closing as an Elementary School in 2013, a fourth part was commissioned by development company Celadon Holdings. Company owner Scott Henry's mother was once a student at West Pullman, thus motivating his deciding to renovate it into affordable senior housing. For its opening in summer 2019, seniors who had once attended West Pullman as students can now return to spend their later years in a familiar but updated environment.

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This renovation is being led by architecture firm UrbanWorks, led by Pablo Jones, Tejashri Varpe and Maria Pellot. They have transformed the school into 60 units of 1 and 2 BR housing. The landscape on the west of the building has transformed into a parking lot and free-growing landscaped greenery that forms a weaving pattern on the site. The parking lot connects to the main entrance via a ramp, that arches over a sunken service moat, and also solves the problem of the split-level entrance. An elevator was also added to connect the three levels of the building, aiding accessibility. The auditorium is yet to be incorporated into this design due to budget reasons, but provides an opportunity for a fifth addition, continuing the legacy of its architectural history.