Randall Elementary

1802 Regent Street Madison, WI 53726

Total Enrollment: 380
Sampling Priority: High
ABSTRACT: Randall Elementary was built in 1906 which makes it the oldest operating school
in the Madison Metropolitan School District. As a result of the number of site renovations prior
to the 1970s and proximity to high traffic roadways, Randalls nearby soils may have been
affected. However, mitigation methods are presently used, including raised beds and nonconsumption of garden products. The combination of these factors make this a medium testing
priority.
GARDEN CHARACTERISTICS
All of 380 students of Randall Elementary use the garden space in the Fall and Spring.
Soil Type: About 35% clay, Blount Soil
Garden Type: Flower Garden
When established: 2003
Size: 19.5 meters by 27 meters
Location on school grounds:
Mitigation used: grass, raised beds, imported soil
Has soil been tested: Unknown
NEARBY LAND USE
Major Roads: Regent Street
Minor Roads: N. Spooner Street, Chadbourne Ave
Regent Street is 9.6 meters away, N. Spooner Street is 5.8 meters away and Chadbourne Ave is
37.7 meters away. Upon analyzing an aerial images of the greater area surrounding Randall
Elementary, it can be confirmed that the above mentioned roadways were created prior to 1937.
The close proximity to these relatively high traffic roadways is concerning due to the radius at
which lead aerosols from lead based gasoline may be prevalent. Due to the proximity of Randall
Elementary to major roadways, including the Beltline roughly 1 mile away- the risk of
inhalation was a rational concern prior to 1991. Although that is no longer the case, these
particles may still be settled in surface soils. These particles have a travel distance of nearly 1
mile from such roadways, thus each of these roadways pose a possible threat to the quality of soil
on this site.

PAST SITE USE

Agriculture
CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION
Initial Construction: 1906
Renovation: Over the last century, the building has gone under a number of reconstructions
during the years of 1912, 1925, and again in 1967, however the building itself has never been
fully demolished (Site File at Historical Society). This offers the threat of potentially mobilizing
lead based materials such as paint and plumbing fixtures across the property.
BUILDING MATERIALS
Although the structure of Randall Elementary is primarily brick, it is still likely that paint used
on the interior walls and window sills of the building were painted with lead based paints during
first construction. This is a risk due to the number of wall tear downs and building extensions
that occurred during the first half of the 20th century. Lead concentrations are typically highest
within 3 feet of the building, known as the drip zone, however, due to the extensive
construction that has taken place on this site, lead paint chips may have been dispersed
throughout the property. To date, there is no record of soil testing for lead contaminants.