Verdantas provided land surveying services for the multi-phased Rainier Beach High School Replacement project. The project includes a new multi-story 233,700 SF high school, the modernization of the existing performing arts center, and off-site improvements, all located on an irregularly shaped 21.5-acre site containing four parcels with varying grading levels. Verdantas' scope of work included surveying to support the project design, coordination with the district’s design team, topographic surveying of existing land and elevations, mapping of identifiable features, surveying surrounding streets per Seattle Department of Transportation standards, and surveying existing utilities.

Navigating potential conflicts surrounding the school’s building location proved to be a key challenge in this project. Verdantas proactively collaborated with the district’s real estate section to research encumbrances on the property. For nearly a century, the school has occupied the property it currently occupies. Its long-standing relationship with the community has limited encumbrances and prevented property lines from shifting with changing ownership. The property has also been affected by changes to roads and vacated rights-of-way.

Once the design team prepared the 30% submittal, the city issued an initial comment about a non-existent road that adversely affected the placement of the new school building. Verdantas obtained historic plat information from the title company and the district’s council and, with the district’s representatives, reviewed historical maps and city ordinances to ensure that the placement of the new school would not adversely affect existing rights-of-way. The solution was to submit a revision recommendation to city reviewers so that the road rights-of-way would not be considered to affect the site.

Project Features:

• Topographic Survey
• Right-of-Way Resolution
• Boundary