Shipley School Presents Its Next Phase of Development

The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr is gearing up for the second phase in its capital campaign, which includes a 23,000 square-foot Student Commons and Arts Center, a new multimedia library and research facility and more classrooms.

The school hopes to start building in the next year or two, Steve Piltch, Head of School, said at the Bryn Mawr Civic Association meeting on Monday, March 18. The timetable for the work depends on when the $16 million-or-so needed for this phase is raised.

The Student Commons and Arts Center, which will sit on Montgomery Avenue (see campus map in the photos section of this article), will complete the Upper Campus quad and will include a new dining facility, intimate performance and conference venue, and visual and performing arts classrooms, studios, and rehearsal spaces, according to the school.

According to Shipley, the renovation of the existing dining room in the Main building will include a new Resource Center (multimedia library and research facility), a new space designed for interdisciplinary learning and differentiated instruction, complete with electronic research, multi-media, and writing centers.

Also in the Main building will be new classroom space.

According to Piltch, classroom space, especially for "interdisciplinary, project-oriented learning and collaboration" is needed on campus.

Three years ago the school's Master Plan for the three-phase redevelopment was approved by Lower Merion. For this phase, Piltch said, no zoning relief will be requested. But the school does need to go through the township's planning and land development process for final approval.

The school is scheduled to go in front of the Planning Commission at its April 8 meeting.