Presidio Knolls was founded in 2008 as a preschool combining a Reggio Emilia inspired educational approach with Mandarin language immersion. Their proposed campus development will allow the school to expand by two classes each year and ultimately serve preschool through 8th grade. To accommodate this growth, they renovated an existing contributing historic building.

Pioneer Hall was originally constructed in 1913 as a temporary home for St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, which was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. The project’s goal was to bring the building up to current structural standards and provide a multi-purpose space for the growing school. Steel moment frames reinforce the existing wood framed building and were used as shoring during construction. While the building was upgraded with modern mechanical and electrical systems, thermal insulation and double-glazed windows, the historic character of the façade was maintained.