Karma and the Eschweilers

Published on: 7/31/2013

Most of my 85 readers know that the Forest Exploration Center (FEC) has plans to open a charter school - the FEC University Lab School - in the historic Eschweiler buildings on the County Grounds.  We think it is an appropriate repurposing of the buildings.

Moreover, our plan for the school is to model the FEC University Lab School after the hugely successful High Tech High located in San Diego, CA.

If Eschweiler were alive today how would he re-design his buildings on the County Grounds for modern times?

You're probably thinking - there is no way to know. 

That would be because Eschweiler died in 1940.

Strangely enough there is a way to know.  Check out this link.

This building is a renovation of an older building in Redwood City, California as a High Tech High.  It is a progressive example of creative adaptive reuse, a tire warehouse and office building were given new life as a rigorous yet engaging college-prep charter school. 

The architect is Susan M. Eschweiler.

She is a granddaughter of Alexander C. Eschweiler, a partner in the Milwaukee architectural firm of Eschweiler & Eschweiler, founded by her great-grandfather, Alexander Chadbourne Eschweiler, the architect of the Milwaukee School of Agriculture and Domestic Commerce.  Wauwatosa's Eschweilers.

Karma.