‘The cutting edge’: New Hoover Elementary campus embraces Eichler ethos

Slanted ceilings, exposed wood beams and expansive windows are common characteristics among south Palo Alto’s mid-century modern architecture. But when used to design a school, district staff believe the open, airy concepts may also have the ability to help students feel more connected.

For the first time in over five decades, the Palo Alto Unified School District is set to open a brand new campus, and it’s one that’ll pay homage to the nearby Joseph Eichler-constructed homes.

Hoover Elementary is set to re-open in January 2026, allowing students temporarily studying at Greendell School to finally move back into their home campus just south of Mitchell Park after more than two years, according to district staff.

“I tell the families, ‘this is worth the wait, because when you walk in there, you’re just gonna be blown away,’” said school Principal Nikole Manou, who stood in front of the large construction site during a recent tour. “It is so beautiful, and it’s a model school of innovation.”

Initially, the district was set to only upgrade portions of the campus but following the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase of state-mandated building requirements, the district decided to scrap all of the structures.

“We asked, ‘How can we make this campus safer?’” Holm said during the tour.

The school, which was previously facing the traffic on East Charleston Road was completely flipped to face the athletic fields at Jane Lanthrop Stanford Middle School. Now, students will have a more expansive view of neighboring schools and fewer interactions with cars, Holm said.

Buildings under construction at Hoover Elementary’s new campus in Palo Alto on Nov. 19, 2025. Photo by Seeger Gray.

Staff also added a bike lane running through the east side of the campus and widened the lane on Waverly Street.

When walking into the main campus, students will be met with a central courtyard, modern, wood-paneled playgrounds and the district’s largest two-story school building.

The play structures feature modular designs with a diverse set of activities that offer more than climbing walls and slides. Playgrounds here also offer places to spin, rock, gather and make music.

“All students of all abilities can have fun at the same time,” Holm said.

While all schools are getting upgrades to their playgrounds, the district is aiming to diversify each site so that kids and residents can travel and explore different locations on the weekends, Holm said.

Beside the larger playgrounds, kindergarten students will have their own enclosed play structure and classrooms, along with dedicated art rooms and a library with an outdoor reading garden.

A room inside the kindergarten building of Hoover Elementary’s new campus in Palo Alto on Nov. 19, 2025. Photo by Seeger Gray.

The main campus building, which will house grades one through five, features floor-to-ceiling windows and is covered in light-wash wood paneling with black trim accents – a nod to the Eichler aesthetic.

A wide interior walkway connects each of the classrooms, which are color-coated by grade. Most schools utilize outdoor hallways, but this campus’ ample gathering spaces will allow for year-round indoor programming, Holm said.

“We’re all together in one building, and that will result in building a stronger community and sense of belonging,” Manou said.

At the center of it all, a wooden staircase, illuminated by natural light and a wall of windows, is the pinnacle of the space. Staff envision the staircase as not only a walkway but a setting for skits, rallies, small events and mingling.

“Standing on the second floor of that main building and looking out at the vista of the Palo Alto community, I was struck by how many hundreds of students and parents and teachers are going to experience everything that this district has to offer in that space,” school board member Josh Salcman said at a November board meeting.

While the school has been under construction for more than two years, some communities have been struck by the sudden erection of buildings, because much of the work was completed off-campus using newer and more sustainable construction techniques, Holm said.

“The project is the first Division of the State Architect approved, two-story, cross-laminated timber building in the state,” he said.

Cross-laminated timber is composed of wood placed in perpendicular layers and can be custom-cut in factories, reducing waste and using less carbon than typical wood construction.

“We’re very excited to be on that cutting edge,” Manou said.

A set of stairs under construction in the hallway of Hoover Elementary’s new campus in Palo Alto on Nov. 19, 2025. Photo by Seeger Gray.