Reviving Legacy: The Marie Reed Community Learning Center Story

Episode 1 of the Building Reuse is Climate Action, a Tangible Remnants limited series sponsored by Quinn Evans, is all about the Marie Reed Community Learning Center in Washington DC. This was a 150,0000 square foot renovation of a 1978 building.  During this episode Nakita is joined by her Quinn Evans colleague, Tracy Hucul, who served as one of the project architects on the job and Katie Lungren who was the principal of the school during the renovation and through the end of the 2025 school year.

There are many gems throughout this episode - particularly around community engagement, designing for security between mixed uses, and ways to commemorate a site's legacy.

Links:

• Quinn Evans website
• Marie Reed Community Learning Center - Washington, DC - Learning Design
• Marie Reed website 
• Before and after photos 
• Preserving Communities Through Building Reuse 
• Join Tangible Remnants Newsletter
• Tangible Remnants on Instagram
• Tangible Remnants Website
• LinkedTr.ee for resources
• Earn CEUs for listening to this podcast
• Signup for Ask Me Anything w/ Nakita Reed
• Gabl Media Network
• Sarah Gilberg's Music

Bios:

Tracy Hucul brings experience on a broad range of institutional projects. In the past several years, she has focused on educational projects for both K-12 and institutions of higher learning. Tracy’s organizational skills and experience in the design and construction processes enable her ability to multi-task and transition between projects effectively. While providing construction administration services, she has been instrumental in ensuring design intent and quality are achieved during the building process.

Katie Lundgren served as the principal of Marie Reed Elementary School from 2014-2025. Marie Reed Elementary is a Title 1 Public School in Washington, DC serving ~ 470 students in both Dual Language (Spanish/English) and English Language Programs. Katie began her career as a third grade teacher in New Orleans, LA, before relocating to Washington, DC in 2004. She then led year-round after-school enrichment programs for public school middle school students at the Higher Achievement Program, first as a Center Director and later as the Regional Director of Operations. She obtained her Masters of School Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2009 and joined DC Public Schools that year as an Assistant Principal.

In 2013, she was selected by DCPS senior leaders as 1 of 11 aspiring principals to serve in the inaugural cohort of a rigorous 18-month principal preparation program that included courses at Georgetown Business School and with faculty from Harvard Graduate School of Education, as well as principal residencies at 3 schools. From 2015-2017, she led the Marie Reed school community through a $61.5 million comprehensive building renovation in collaboration with Quinn Evans Architects, DCPS, and Department of General Services. Throughout the project, Katie spearheaded robust community engagement, including input from current, past, and future students, families, and neighbors. Marie Reed is a LEED Gold certified building and received the selective US Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Award in 2024.

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