For more than a decade, the conversation around the future of Hums Elementary School has been a critical one. Issues with the existing building—including a failing HVAC system, constant flooding from internal roof drains, and a high water table—have posed significant challenges. In 2023, School City of Mishawaka partnered with a specialized consultant to conduct an in-depth study and cost analysis, which included extensive public engagement with faculty, neighbors, and the wider community. The study presented several options, including a full renovation and expansion of the current building. However, the analysis ultimately concluded that a new structure would be the most effective and cost-efficient long-term solution. The community’s strong support for this option, combined with the persistent issues of the aging building, led school leaders to greenlight the design and construction of a new Hums Elementary.

Designing a Modern, Community-Minded School

In the spring of 2024, our team at Troyer Group was selected to provide site engineering and landscape architecture services, joining forces with Hebard & Hebard Architects. Our first step was to engage with a wide range of school stakeholders, from the superintendent and principal to teachers, maintenance staff, and even neighbors who live right next to the property. This collaborative effort allowed us to establish a clear set of priorities that would guide every design decision. The result was a schematic design for a new school situated just east of the existing building. The plan was carefully crafted to allow for construction to proceed safely and with minimal disruption to students and staff.

A key priority for the design team was to be a good neighbor. While the new school would be closer to the surrounding residential area, we made a concerted effort to:

• Enhance Connectivity: New pedestrian access points were created to better connect the school with the neighborhood.
• Improve Privacy: Strategic landscaping and screening were incorporated to enhance privacy and minimize sightlines.
• Respect Scale: The building’s height and rooflines were intentionally designed to be a smaller scale that wouldn’t overpower the adjacent homes.
• Create Distance: The building was sited as far as possible from property lines, for both safety reasons and to

Building for a Resilient Future

Flooding has long been a major issue at Hums, and our design team took extensive measures to resolve this once and for all. The new school’s finished floor elevation will be raised by over a foot, and we’ve dramatically expanded the site’s drainage basin capacity. By incorporating native plantings and seed mixtures, we’ll promote increased water infiltration, providing a sustainable solution to the high groundwater elevation. The new design also prioritizes safety and efficiency. The site layout will:

• Improve Traffic Flow: Expanded on-site circulation and vehicle queuing will reduce congestion on Harrison Road during drop-off and pick-up times.
• Enhance Pedestrian Safety: Students walking and biking will be completely separated from vehicle traffic, eliminating potential conflict points.
• Consolidate Play Areas: The new design consolidates all play areas, allowing for the introduction of safety fencing to improve security and faculty oversight.

Collaboration and Community Alignment

Throughout the design process, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with the City of Mishawaka’s departments to address site constraints, utility access, and other critical infrastructure needs. We also presented our updated plans to the 3rd District Neighborhood Watch, where we received the same strong support that was evident in the original 2023 study.

Following a period of cost adjustments and design refinements to meet budget constraints, we submitted our site plan for review. We’ve since received and successfully addressed several comments from the city, including substantive requests for additional fire hydrants and a more robust stormwater system.

We are now in the final stages of the approval process and are confident that we have a plan that not only builds a modern, safe, and effective school for the community but also strengthens our partnership with the City of Mishawaka. We look forward to moving this project forward and beginning a new chapter for Hums Elementary.