Old Village School opened in 1917 as the Union School and served students of every age for 63 years. In 1980 it became home to the district's groundbreaking Special Education Center. The building then sat closed from 2012 to 2018, until a voter-approved bond funded its return.
The renovation created administrative offices, studio space, and six classrooms, with more rooms ready for the district's growing early childhood programs.
Bringing modern systems into a century-old structure took careful planning. A hydronic heating system pairs high-efficiency condensing boilers with a variable pumping system. On the airside, a variable air volume rooftop unit serves hot water reheat terminal units. Because the existing structure limited where floors could be opened, PBA grouped mechanical penetrations together to keep structural rework to a minimum. Low-flow fixtures, touchless faucets, and sensor flush valves keep the building clean and save water.
Electrical distribution was routed to work with the existing structure rather than against it. Out front, site lighting meets the standards of Northville's historic district, and additional exterior fixtures carry the same vintage look. Inside, classrooms use dimmable LED lighting, with decorative pendants over a peninsula countertop.
