Wood Middle School Construction and Modernization

“Piles” are long posts made of concrete that reach deep down into the ground.  Due to the liquifiable soil conditions on the site, the state requires us to use these piles to anchor the foundations to the stable soil deep below the surface. This method will help prevent instability and damage during an earthquake and is a critical component of seismic safety standards for school buildings.

The installation of piles involves driving them into the ground using a hammering technique, which generates intermittent noise and vibrations. We understand this may be bothersome and are making efforts to minimize those disruptions. Nevertheless, some noise during construction hours is unavoidable.

Fortunately, this is the noisiest part of the construction project and once it's over, noise levels will decrease significantly.

We understand the concerns of nearby residents, and the construction team is implementing the following noise mitigation measures:  

• Pile driving primarily during Monday through Friday  

• Scheduling some breaks in pile driving   

• Keeping neighbors informed of the schedule 

Yes, Alameda, has a local noise ordinance. But construction is exempt from the ordinance, provided it falls within construction hours. (Alameda Municipal Code, Ch. IV, Article II, 4-10.7e)  

Those hours are: 

• Monday to Friday: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm

• Saturday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Pile driving started on January 13, 2025 and was expected to last through mid-March depending on site conditions and weather.  The project experienced a four-week pause in pile driving in late January due to an unforeseen site condition, which was resolved.  As a result, pile driving resumed and will continue through mid-April. The project team is aware that the noise can be bothersome and is working diligently to complete this phase as quickly as possible.  In the meantime, we appreciate your patience and understanding that this new school will greatly benefit  Alameda students.

Pile driving is a standard construction method, and precautions are being taken to ensure that vibrations remain within safe limits.  

AUSD recognizes that pile driving is the most disruptive phase of the project. The construction team is monitoring classroom noise levels and maximizing work during school holidays whenever possible. The noise impact to classrooms that has been observed is reasonable. To help maintain effective instruction, voice amplification systems have been installed in classrooms.    

Regular updates will be provided via:  

• AUSD’s Wood Middle School Modernization webpage  

• In addition, we sent letter notifications to the neighborhood residents in advance of pile driving operations  

For any questions or concerns, please contact:  

• Construction Hotline: 510-337-7020  

• Email: Construction@alamedaunified.org  

Demolition will begin on the Wood Middle School Campus in July 2024. Construction will take place from July 2024 to July 2026.  

A design team comprised of architects, Wood Middle School teachers and administrators, and parents met 13 times to collaborate on the type of campus and buildings that would work best for the Wood Middle School community. 

AUSD supports safe routes to schools and the new bike lane design for Grand Street. We commissioned a traffic study of the surrounding streets to understand the current patterns. Currently, we are consulting with the Planning and Transportation Departments at the City of Alameda about the safest configuration for biking, walking, and cars around the Wood Middle School campus.

Little League rents two fields from the City of Alameda at Rittler Park. These fields will not be affected during construction. The league also rents two fields from Alameda Unified that are adjacent to Wood Middle School. Only one of these fields will be available during the Wood Middle School construction, but it’s likely that the league will able to rent another field from the City. After construction, it’s possible that the current Wood Middle School field can be reconfigured into a multi-use field that accommodates baseball, but the design team will need to decide what configuration of fields will work best for Wood Middle School students. 

AUSD moved students and staff out of Lum Elementary School in June 2017, as analyses of the soil at the site showed that the land under and around the buildings was at high risk for significant liquefaction settlement in the event of a major earthquake. Analyses also showed that the buildings' foundations were not sufficient to withstand that liquefaction. That meant that if there is a strong earthquake, the buildings could sink and partially collapse. 

All of the geotechnical and structural engineering reports on the seismic issue at Lum are available here. That page also includes links to all of the presentations to the Board of Education and a lengthy FAQ on the matter.

Because the buildings cannot be used for educational purposes, they have sat unused for the last six years. The district now needs to use the campus to build a temporary campus of portable buildings to house first Wood Middle School and then Otis Elementary School while their campuses are under construction. 

Demolition will begin in November 2023. Portable classrooms will be installed and ready for instruction by August 2024. 

The seismic risk at Lum resulted from a combination of liquifiable soils and inappropriate foundations of the existing buildings.  The portable classrooms we are providing for the temporary campus will have foundations that are appropriate for the soil conditions - as determined by the Division of the State Architect.  In addition, temporary classrooms are significantly smaller and lighter than permanent classroom buildings, which affects the seismic risk.

To stabilize the soil on the site, the California Geologic Survey has mandated that AUSD create a "geologic raft" comprised of layers of compressed soil and rock. You can read about that in this AUSD community bulletin.

For more information on the seismic issues at Lum Elementary School, please see our Lum Seismic Issue web page, especially this April 28, 2017 presentation to the Board of Education.

The seismic risk at Lum resulted from a combination of liquifiable soils and inappropriate foundations.  The portables we are providing for the temporary campus will have foundations that are appropriate for the soil conditions, and the Division of the State Architect will review all plans.  

The district will  use the temporary campus of portable buildings to house first Wood Middle School and then Otis Elementary School during the construction of their campuses.

AUSD hopes to construct a new athletic field for Alameda High School on the Lum campus. Encinal High School is receiving a new field on its campus in 2025; the AHS field would provide amenities the school cannot provide either on its campus or at Thompson Field (including a full-sized track). 

Lum Elementary did not move to temporary classrooms for a number of reasons, including:

1. Other AUSD elementary schools had room for the Lum students.

2. Temporary classrooms ("portables") are expensive, as are the portable bathrooms, sinks, and other facilities that would have been required by the school.

3. Temporary classrooms are not a good solution for permanent teaching and learning. In the long run, AUSD is slowly but surely replacing portables with permanent classroom buildings.