Dilworth Latta is an existing neighborhood school located at 405 East Park Avenue, within the Dilworth Local Historic District. The campus is uniquely integrated into a shared civic environment, partnering with Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation to provide joint-use athletic and recreational facilities, including two soccer fields and six hard tennis courts. The school also shares a CMS gymnasium facility, reinforcing its role as both an educational and community asset.
The campus is composed of three primary building components connected by enclosed corridors and pedestrian walkways: the original eight-room Dilworth School constructed in 1904, a 58,000-square-foot one-story addition completed in 1967 that includes the Media Center, and a two-story, 197-square-foot gymnasium and lobby addition completed in 2006.
The scope includes approximately 70,000 square feet of major renovations, addressing end-of-life mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, partial roof replacement, and targeted building envelope improvements. The design team conducted detailed pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow analysis to improve site safety and circulation, integrating CPTED principles to enhance campus security and visibility.
Interior renovations include a full-scale kitchen expansion and modernization to support increased capacity and operational efficiency, as well as a specialized Musical Arts renovation incorporating acoustical design strategies tailored to performance and instructional environments. The academic program was reconfigured to meet middle school standards, including the development of five new Science classrooms with enhanced infrastructure to support laboratory instruction.
Given the school’s location within a designated historic district, the project required close coordination with the local Historic District Commission. All exterior improvements and visible building modifications were developed and documented to respect the architectural character of the original 1904 structure while meeting contemporary code, accessibility, and performance standards.
Main Entrance Drive
Main Entrance Facade
Kitchen and Cafeteria