WINONA, MN — A recent adaptive reuse project at Winona State University (WSU) leveraged three historic facilities to create a campus for teacher education. Kraus-Anderson recently completed an expansion and renovation for WSU’s Education Village, a national model to prepare, inspire and recruit students to be teachers.

The $33.2-million project, designed by Leo A Daly architects, renovated three of WSU’s historic education buildings into new flexible learning spaces, including Early Childhood Education training and child care programs and WSU’s Children’s Center. The Education Village campus serves over 1,200 undergraduate students, 270 graduate students and 177 students in the Children’s Center.

WSU has a long history of training teachers. Founded in 1858, it was the first Normal School dedicated to teacher training west of the Mississippi River. Education Village is building upon those foundations, preparing future teachers, counselors, administrators and leaders to leave an impact in a 21st century school environment.

The two-year project renovated three education buildings: Cathedral School, originally built in 1929 and now a showcase for historic classroom instruction; Wabasha Recreation Center, built in 1958 as a gymnasium and now home to physical education and adaptive sports training; and Dr. Donna J. Helble Hall (formerly Wabasha Hall, built 1953), updated with child care, classrooms, breakout spaces and atrium. Each building is equipped with the modern technologies and resources necessary for the preparation of tomorrow’s teachers, counselors, coaches and educational leaders.

Education Village serves students and faculty in STEM, communications, health, art, music, social studies, language, international education, physical education and special education programs, and will benefit more than 2,000 WSU students in education-related fields each year.

The Minnesota Legislature approved $5.9 million in funding for Education Village during the 2013-14 legislative session and $25.3 million in funding in 2017, for a total estimated project cost of $31.2 million.