Summary
Briarwood Elementary was destroyed by the massive tornado that hit Moore, OK in 2013. Moore Public Schools needed the school to be rebuilt on a highly accelerated schedule for the start of the August 2014 school year.
The 65,000 square-foot school comprises four pre-engineered metal buildings within the overall footprint. The remaining areas are load bearing CMU and structural steel. The building houses a cafetorium, media center, gymnasium, and various offices. There are 26 classrooms, eight of which are safe rooms.
Reflecting the priority of student for Briarwood Elementary, the safe rooms wereconstructed using 12” CMU, with each cell of the CMU reinforced with #6 rebar to the full height of the wall and grouted solid. The safe room walls were doweled into the slab on grade and can withstand winds of up to 250 mph. Each safe room has one full-size FEMA rated door and one FEMA rated shutter, acting as an escape hatch in the event of debris blocking an exit.