Designs for Upper Little Cayenne and Grand Cayenne elementary schools presented; FEMA constraints, schedule and costs outlined

Architects presented concept designs on Feb. 16 for two hurricane-damaged elementary schools — Upper Little Cayenne and Grand Cayenne — explaining site orientation, raised building footprints to meet floodplain requirements, classroom counts and an anticipated construction timetable aimed at FEMA reimbursement.

Why it matters: Both projects are FEMA-reimbursed reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Ida. The plans affect school layouts, student circulation, safety fencing and long-term site grading; schedule and design choices are tied to FEMA program rules and will determine whether the projects stay fully reimbursable.

Design highlights and constraints

- Building orientation and circulation: At both sites designers proposed rotating the building footprint roughly 90 degrees relative to the original schools to separate parent drop-off and bus circulation. The architects said this allows separate, wider bus-turning radii and a distinct parent parking/stacking area. “So we’ve completely separated parent pickup and drop off from bus pickup and drop off,” the presenter said while describing the site plans.

- Elevation…