With roots dating back to 1915, McClymonds has a deep history in West Oakland and is the largest high school in the Oakland Unified School District. A key goal of the investment in its renovation is to celebrate that history while providing an environment to enable students to leverage their class time on the path to success. Perkins Eastman collaborated closely with stakeholders, who helped the design team identify a series of enhancements that would  bring the campus into the 21st century.

A three-phase modernization addressed upgrades to life-safety systems, access compliance, and general-code conformance to provide a secure space for learning. Further enhancements have been made in technology, lighting, and air quality. On top of that, McClymonds High School now sets a standard for the development of innovative libraries for all high schools within the Oakland Unified district. Its active space includes the Africana Center, a maker space, and the student/community-run Mack World Cafe.