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The demonstration project proposed by the Trenton School District and the City of Trenton called for a new high school that has the ability to accommodate 1,400 students in three shifts – the Daylight/Twilight Alternative High School. The project is a catalyst for revitalizing the downtown Canal Banks redevelopment area known as the "Old Trenton Neighborhood," by creating an urban college-type campus that bring together various community-based learning institutions, including the new Daylight/Twilight High School, the Public Library, the Mercer County Community College (MCCC), and the YWCA around a central urban open space. The site for the new Daylight/Twilight High School demonstration project is a 30,000- square-foot property at the corner of North Montgomery and East Hanover Street and a contiguous 9,000-square- foot parcel fronting on State Street. The site was selected due to its ability to accommodate the school's numerous community design features and its proximity to the campus of the Mercer County Community College, in order to foster strategic educational alliances. The project encompasses 40,000-square-feet of new construction and 61,000-square feet of rehabilitated space. The new 101,000-square-foot facility consists of two vacant 5-story buildings and a one story building that was renovated, and connected by a newly constructed in-fill 3-story wing. The Daylight/Twilight High School utilizes the first four stories of the buildings, and the upper floor is used jointly by the school, MCCC and for other community activities. The school replaces an existing alternative high school program that operated in leased facilities, that served students in three daily shifts of four hours. The flexible schedule allows students to deal with childcare and jobs without having to give up high school. This program has been extremely successful in providing a rigorous high school education to students representing an age span of 19 - to 70+ years of age, who for a variety of reason have not been able to achieve a high school diploma. Juniors and seniors attending the school have the opportunity to avail themselves of college curricular and skill-building experiences through courses instructed by and located at the MCCC. The Daylight/Twilight High School includes on-site support services for student parents, such as childcare and health services. After regular school hours, the school is utilized by adult students that were unable to finish high school, but are returning to obtain their high school diploma. Art gallery space and multi-purpose meeting rooms are available for community activities and events. The Mercer County Improvement Authority (MCIA) was the Redevelopment Entity for the demonstration project, Trenton Demonstration School Development, LCC, the Redeveloper and Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc. the Construction Manager. USA Architects, Planners and Interior Designers P.A. designed the project. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held June 2008. |