LOUIS, Mo.—Integrate Construction Partners (Integrate) has transformed an office building in Lake St. Louis, MO into a larger, temporary location for growing private school Lafayette Academy. The project was completed in time to start the 2023-24 school year.

Lafayette Academy, formerly known as Classical Academy de Lafayette, is a private K-12 school in St. Charles County founded in 2016 by longtime educator Katy McKinney and dedicated to classical education.

The 16,800-square-foot converted Lake St. Louis office building at 20 Hawk Ridge Circle will serve as the school’s temporary campus until land can be purchased for a permanent school to be built.

Integrate started the office building’s transformation in July 2023. The interior build-out included new classrooms, an exercise room, multi-purpose room, conference rooms, and a staff break room.

The project also included construction of an outside storm shelter per IBC code to ensure the safety of the students and staff during inclement weather. Integrate assisted with the design, procurement and accelerated installation of prefabricated storm shelters and a pavilion to meet operational requirements for the new school year.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Integrate Construction Partners (Integrate) is a comprehensive construction company enhancing value through an integrated building process. Built upon nearly 20 years of experience, Integrate offers design-build, multisite project delivery, construction management, and general contracting services.

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OWATONNA, Minn.—A $99 million high school has been realized in this town located approximately 70 miles south of the Twin Cities. Construction commenced in May 2021 on the three-story school, whose campus also includes a football stadium, tennis courts, physical education building, auditorium, “town square” and outdoor athletic fields. Companies such as Federated Insurance and Mayo Clinic Health System contributed funds to the project.

The 317,000-square-foot Owatonna High School, located at 1455 SE 18th St., was designed by Wold Architects and Engineers to hold 1,600 students. Their design includes industrial arts laboratories and tech shop classrooms, as well as a centrally located cafeteria. Among the types of career paths students can learn about at Owatonna High are nursing, publishing and digital media, culinary arts, and engineering. By offering career-education classes, the local Owatonna community is hoping to retain skilled workers upon graduation rather than lose them to larger cities.

“Following years of working alongside many incredible local businesses, partners, staff and students, we are thrilled to finally open Owatonna High School and watch our students excel,” Jeff Elstad, superintendent at Owatonna Public Schools, said of the new high school. “This school will help them foster a sense of community and ownership over their learning in an innovative and inspiring environment while serving as a source of excitement and pride for the city of Owatonna.”

Wold worked in concert with construction manager Kraus-Anderson to realize the project. The two firms collaborated to fashion a school built of precast concrete and structural steel. The facade comprises brick and metal panels as well as glazing that allows in as much natural light as feasible. Architectural flourishes on the interior include terrazzo flooring, hardwood and metal panels covering the column wraps, as well as prefinished interior panels within the auditorium.

The exterior of Owatonna High includes four athletic storage buildings as well as a parking lot that can hold nearly 1,000 vehicles.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the district and local voices to create a school that reflects the community it serves,” said Paul Aplikowski, partner at Wold. “We are excited to see how this school realizes the district’s vision for education for many years to come and becomes a role model for the area in high school education.”

“Owatonna Public Schools has been a fantastic partner during the entire construction process, where close communication and coordination was needed to meet all expectations,” said Michael Stenbeck, KA’s project manager. “It has been amazing to witness jaws drop as students and the community walk into the new facility. We are so proud to be a part of this project.”

Stenbeck added that managing ongoing supply chain issues was an issue for the project. “We maintained close communications and collaboration with all of our partners and subs to manage delivery expectations,” he said in an email sent to School Construction News.

“One of the most rewarding parts of this project was seeing the Owatonna community rally together to turn the dream of a new high school into reality,” Sal Bagley, partner at Wold, informed School Construction News. “From the successful [bond referendum] to the unprecedented support from local businesses in the form of donations and programming involvement, the full community truly inspired the unique and reflective design of this landmark school.”

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—Building firm C.W. Driver Companies has completed work on the $70 million, four-story Interactive Learning Pavilion at UC Santa Barbara. The new facility adds classrooms, lecture halls as well as discussion rooms to this picturesque campus located on a spit of land overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The 95,000-square-foot structure at UCSB offers approximately 2,000 seats of classroom space across its various lecture halls, including areas dedicated specifically for project-based learning. Each of the building’s 32 classrooms and lecture halls offer capacity anywhere from 30 to 350 students.

The center of the pavilion features a breezeway between two of the major buildings that make up the Interactive Learning Pavilion. Exposed terraces and stairs receive ample sunlight, and the upper levels allow for stellar views of the campus as well as the nearby ocean. In an effort at green building, the pavilion is entirely powered by electricity and no natural gas, which allows the facility to be designated as LEED Gold.

C.W. Driver worked with LMN Architects to realize the project. LMN Architects is headquartered in Seattle. Their design for the learning pavilion took into consideration “the history of UCSB and its seascape vistas [so] the building has been envisioned as a microcosm of the societal and natural conditions around the site,” as per the firm’s website.

According to personnel from C.W. Driver, realizing the learning pavilion required extensive planning due to the site’s centrality within the bike-friendly UCSB campus.

“The project…required an early re-route of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, as well as planning for just-in-time deliveries in the early morning to keep clear of student traffic,” said Jeff Bara, Senior Project Manager at C.W. Driver. “We worked closely with the university to develop off-site staging where delivery vehicles could enter the campus individually, therefore limiting the number of trucks on campus at any given time and minimizing the impact of construction on the community.”

For its work at the pavilion, C.W. Driver was awarded the Liberty Mutual Insurance Safety Commendation Gold Award from the University Controlled Insurance Program (UCIP), which recognizes a project demonstrating an outstanding safety record.

“Looking at the early plan sets, we knew we were building something unique and beautiful,” Tom Jones, Project Executive with C.W. Driver, said in a subsequent statement emailed to School Construction News. “Speaking for the management and crews, we were all motivated by the stunning design and reaching the finish product. The end result was worth it.”

C.W. Driver Companies has been in operation in California since 1919. Their various educational projects across the Golden State include the Pomona-Pitzer College Rains Athletic Center; CSU Dominguez Hill’s Science and Innovation Building; CSU San Bernardino’s Coyote Village and Coyote Commons; MiraCosta College Chemistry & Biotechnology Building; Orange Coast College’s Language Arts and Social Science Building, Kinesiology and Athletics Complex and Student Union Complex; Chapman University’s Keck Center for Science and Engineering; and Cal Poly Pomona’s Student Services Building.

The firm is ranked in Engineering News Record’s Top 150 General Contractors and Top 100 Construction Managers. The firm operates from offices in Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga, Anaheim, San Diego and Carlsbad.

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FORT WORTH, Texas—Students of Paul Laurence Dunbar Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA) in Texas’ Fort Worth Independent School District returned to classes this fall to a newly renovated middle school campus, plus a new high school and gymnasium addition.

KAI, which provided architecture, interior design, MEP/FP engineering and construction administration on the $30 million project, reimagined the academy’s 1950s school as a college campus, in addition to adding a stand-alone high school building and 600-seat competition gymnasium to increase the academy’s total area from 55,000 to 110,000 square feet.

“The renovation and additions pay homage to the Stop Six community and celebrates the success of the young men who walk the halls of YMLA,” said KAI President Darren L. James, FAIA, NOMA. “The young men have embraced the spirit of African American poet and novelist Paul Laurence Dunbar and Reby Cary, a prominent Fort Worth native who focused on education and literacy to become the first Black professor at UTA – both of which improved themselves through the power of education. For these young men, YMLA is a part of their identity and serves as a cornerstone within their development and growth. The new facility serves as a canvas for them to imagine and create their futures for establishing a pathway to lifelong learning utilizing their inspirations as a springboard for their goals.”

Established in 2012, YMLA is Fort Worth ISD’s first single-gender school for boys offering a rigorous preparatory curriculum beginning in the sixth grade. The academy occupies a 1950s school that once housed Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary and Junior High School. Due to the exponential growth and success of the young men that matriculated through the program, the existing facilities reached their physical limit of housing the robust program. KAI was originally selected to design a new school on an alternative site to support the academic rigor of YMLA. Upon analysis of the site, the district decided to renovate, expand and add new buildings to the existing campus to create a collegial feel emulating the environments YMLA students will attend upon graduation.

YMLA boasts an outstanding graduation rate with many of their students going on to attend some of the most elite colleges and universities across the country and have been the recipients of millions of dollars of scholarships to help pay for their collegiate experiences.

KAI’s designers worked within the constraints of the site which fronts on a residential street and is surrounded by residential properties on all other sides to design a new, stand-alone high school building and 600-seat competition gymnasium. The new gym also includes a band room and robotics and engineering labs.

The original building’s MEP/FP systems were upgraded to current standards and existing classrooms were reconfigured and repurposed for 21st Century learning. KAI also designed a new public entrance and façade on the school, plus expanded the library and added collaboration spaces to support the academy’s academic curriculum.

“KAI is honored to be the architect and engineer for the YMLA renovation. I am passionate about all our educational projects and especially proud of our work on Paul Laurence Dunbar Young Men’s Leadership Academy because it’s in the heart of Fort Worth’s Stop Six community,” said James in a Regional Black Contractors Association article. “As a Black architect, the ability to design spaces educating and influencing our children preparing them for leadership and just as importantly opening their eyes to opportunities in the architectural profession by showing them people that look like them. The collective power of these young scholars is amazing and for KAI to be part of their academic journey is edifying knowing that these young men will change the world in ways that are still being formulated in their dreams.”

The Turner l Source joint venture was the Construction Manager at Risk on the project, which employed a large number of minority-owned subcontractors.

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BAYTOWN, Texas—The Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the district’s new Lee High School Fine Arts building. The modern arts educational building was realized following years of planning for its construction.

The Lee High School Fine Arts building will be home to the district’s band, choir, orchestra and dance programs. In addition to rehearsal and performance spaces, the fine arts building will also allow for students and teachers to make use of ample meeting areas, as well as group events.

“Giving [students] a larger, stand-alone building where every student interested in fine arts can call home was a dream that, with the support of the Board, Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, community, business sponsors and Lee High School alumni, we were able to fulfill,” Dr. Randal O’Brien, GCCISD superintendent, said at the unveiling—which was followed by a tour of the new facility for select guests.

The fine arts building was realized by the planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), who also served as GCCISD’s 2019 bond program manager.

“The new fine arts facility for Lee High School is a huge milestone for the growth and expansion Goose Creek CISD has experienced over the last decade,” JP Grom, vice president at LAN, said at the unveiling.

LAN worked in combination with general contractor Marshall Construction and Pfluger Architects on the facility.

In a subsequent statement sent to School Construction News LAN’s Clement A. Medina, associate and program manager at LAN, said that ongoing economic concerns with raw materials also threatened to up the cost of the fine arts building, but he and his colleagues found ways to address these issues.

“As prices of construction materials climbed to record highs and equipment lead times stretched from months to years, the project team worked diligently to keep the project within budget and on schedule,” Medina said.

Goose Creek CISD currently encompasses 24,000 students in its area of 134 square miles, and is the single largest employer within the district’s boundaries. It is one of the fastest-growing districts in Texas, with more than 2,000 additional students projected to be educated there in the next decade. This tremendous growth requires additional resources, just one of which is the Lee High School Fine Arts building.

“The students and staff associated with these fine arts programs put long hours into learning, rehearsing and polishing, often in inclement weather,” Tiffany Guy, president of the Goose Creek CISD Board of Trustees, said during the ribbon-cutting event. “They are learning skills they will use throughout their lives, such as time management and teamwork as they reap the rewards of taking pride in a job well done.”

LAN falls under the umbrella of the LEO A DALY architectural brand.

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SANTA ROSA, Calif.—More than a half-decade after the horrendous Tubbs Fire destroyed many structures in Northern California’s wine country, one high school is celebrating new life for part of its campus that was destroyed in the blazes of 2017.

Designer Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and general contractor GMH Builders have completed the Student Life Center at Cardinal Newman High School, which opened in time for the fall term. The center both replaces and expands upon the library and media center that burned down in 2017.

QKA’s design entails a two-story, 23,800-square-foot building that is meant to evoke the look and feel of a college student union. Inside, the Student Life Center is home to the new library and innovation center, which includes a cafeteria, faculty offices, student lounge, study areas and conference spaces. The center also features a digital media laboratory and recording studio. Classrooms are designed to be flexible with a variety of seating options.

The Student Life Center represents just one part of an overall master plan for Cardinal Newman High. QKA’s work is ongoing as far as reenvisioning more of the school in the wake of the fires. Previously completed restoration work at the campus includes the North Classroom Building in 2019 and a two-story classroom building in 2021.

“We are honored to be a trusted partner since Cardinal Newman began efforts to reconstruct its campus and plan for its future nearly five years ago,” QKA Principal John Dybczak said. “Working closely with GMH and [receiving] input from administration, faculty, students, and maintenance personnel, we designed the Student Life Center as the hub of campus.

“This next-generation facility furthers the school’s goal to provide supportive spaces beyond the classroom for students to study, socialize, refuel, and relax.”

A statement sent to School Construction News from personnel at GMH says the enthusiasm expressed by students, administrators and various other stakeholders helped ensure the project would come to fruition on time.

“Despite the challenges of working in such a central location, GMH Builders successfully kept pathways open and sequenced work to avoid any interruptions to the learning environment,” the statement said. “Despite record-breaking wet winters, we remained on schedule and delivered an exceptional project.”

“The Student Life Center is…enriched with tech- and collaboration-focused spaces to support learning and social connections,” added Cardinal Newman President Dr. Linda Norman. “We are grateful for the indomitable spirit of our school community, the generous support of our donors, and the invaluable guidance of our project partners as we mark this latest step forward in rebuilding what was lost and planning for the future.”

QKA’s portfolio entails more than $2.5 billion in projects in its nearly four decades in business. Engineering News-Record has called the firm one of the nation’s top designers.

GMB, based in Sonoma, offers services including construction management and general contracting services. Their various other California clients include NorthDay Healthcare, Bear Republic Brewery and the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

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ABILENE, Texas—Since opening in 1968, Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum has been home to various sporting activities for this university located in Central Texas. Moody Coliseum provides the home floor for the school’s Division 1 teams, as well as a venue for graduations, concerts, campus-wide worship services and various other events for the university.

Hoar Construction, in conjunction with sports architect HOK embarked on a $39 million renovation of the 153,000-square-foot venue in order to return the well-known “Moody Magic” to the coliseum, which has diminished after over a half-century of use. The campaign, launched two years ago, called for a “pull planning” construction plan. This allowed for the early design of several components of the projects at the same time that work on the exterior field was also underway.

The phased approach to the work allowed for the saving of time in the overall construction timeline. The work had to be completed on a brisk 12-month schedule, which was not flexible given athletic schedules that were already set several years prior.

In addition to ongoing supply chain issues that have plagued the entire construction industry, the project partners also had to deal with hurricanes, asbestos abatement and floor load limitations. However, through various collaboration efforts, the team was able to still stay on the requisite delivery schedule.

Hoar and its partners were also able to save money in multiple ways on the project. The team shaved more than $400,000 from the budget thanks to working with the steel and engineering teams to develop design documents in real time, which allowed for the procurement and delivery of steel for the coliseum refurbishment faster than otherwise might have been possible.

HOK also envisioned a new facade for the outside of the venue. Their design called for adding two three-story towers, which are home to office space for athletic personnel. The architect also updated the interior by adding larger seats that also provided additional legroom for patrons.

Hoar and the engineering teams were also tasked with overhauling the smoke evacuation system in case of an emergency. This helped save an additional $300,000 on the eventual project budget.

“This project is a true testament to the power of effective pull planning and preconstruction practices in cutting both time and cost for client success,” said Grant Pallan, project executive at Hoar. “We were up against a tight timeline to ensure this renovation was completed by the start of the school year at a standard that students deserved.

“Given the ongoing supply chain issues, this project would not have been completed as smoothly as it was had our teams not utilized pull planning to its full potential.”

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WACO, Tex.—Baylor University has a new “front door” at its campus thanks to a project envisioned by designer Populous. The 136,000-square-foot Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center—named for alumnus and Oracle founder Mark Hurd and his wife, Paula—is also home to Baylor’s undergraduate admissions office and alumni center, as well as a coffee house, auditorium and ballroom space.

The building features a 23,000-square-foot, 70-foot-tall gathering space called Carlton Hall, with crossbeams fashioned by the oak trees endemic throughout the Baylor campus, and is meant to evoke students’ journey in the university. Populous applied a white marble-patterned floor for the interior, and an inlaid brass strip in the floor’s center represents “That Good Old Baylor

Line” that is meant to start students on their academic journeys. Lounge seating areas allow for various gatherings as well.

On the exterior, the building features red brick and windows made of stained glass that will reflect some of the Texas heat. Four illuminated columns are meant to welcome the campus visitor, as well as call to mind Baylor’s credo of “distributing” enlightenment and will be visible to motorists driving past on Interstate 35. Populous worked with AV consultant Electrosonic, digital design studio RLMG and fabricator Xibitz to realize the illuminated columns.

“Through comprehensive workshops with Baylor, it was clear that the university was looking for something that would truly set it apart from other institutions in higher education,” Shawn Sanem, an associate principal and senior graphic designer at Populous, said of this unique feature. “The column installations use dynamic technology, rich media and lighting to tell the Baylor story in an unexpected way and connect with students who expect shareable moments. The four elements of Reflect, Connect, Aspire, Amplify are representative of Baylor values and provide an interactive, immersive and memorable experience for students and visitors.”

“The Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center offers a spectacular setting for students’ first memories of Baylor University,” added Sherri Privitera, a senior principal and senior architect at Populous. “Baylor is truly a front-runner in creating meaningful student experiences.”

Populous provided architectural and site planning services and worked with general contractor Vaughn Construction. The intersection where the Hurd Center is now located is the most trafficked on campus.

“Designed with the entire Baylor University Family in mind, the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center represents a new front door to the institution that allows Baylor to further solidify its position as the world’s preeminent Christian research university,” said President Linda A. Livingstone. “When we launched the Give Light campaign in 2018, Mark and Paula gave a transformational gift that has allowed us to create unique experiences for more than 50,000 campus visitors each year. Once inside, our guests will learn about Baylor’s past, present and future while joining in meaningful engagement opportunities that advance the work of the university.

“We are so grateful for the Hurds’ generosity and to Populous for its partnership in this special endeavor.”

Populous has been crafting more than $40 billion worth of projects of the past several decades. The firm operates from regional centers in Kansas City, London and Brisbane.

Editor’s Note: Additional coverage of this new facility can be found in the September/October issue of School Construction News.

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DALLAS—Stantec has been selected to provide integrated design services for the new 122,000-square-foot Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) building at the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD). The latest addition to the Dallas campus will reflect the logic, rigor, efficiency, and optimism of scientific learning through an innovative design that is clearly and functionally organized. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place Friday, September 29.

The US$79 million, four-story STEM building will house instructional spaces including general purpose “high-flex” classrooms, instructional labs, research space, and wet labs that adapt to facilitate various classes including biology and chemistry disciplines. Support areas will include an instrumentation room, cold room, and dark-enabled room to conduct research and store materials in optimal conditions. In addition, a café, pre-function area, and 200-250 seat classroom/meeting space is situated on the ground level, with a variety of collaboration spaces throughout the building.

Empowering community through education

UNTD’s state-of-the-art facility will improve the lives of students and their families by recruiting, training, and employing a more diverse workforce. Through STEM education, UNTD will create upward mobility to a community of learners and first-generation college students by encouraging curiosity and engagement in the sciences.

In addition, Stantec is collaborating with HarrisonKornberg Architects, a minority-owned firm certified as a historically underutilized business, as well as with local educational and community institutions to encourage employment opportunities and internships, provide new technology for training, and prepare students for science careers.

Design through sustainability and wellness

With a direct tie to the natural beauty of the campus, the STEM building will be surrounded by meaningful outdoor spaces and provide views of a courtyard, promenade, and amphitheater. Exterior gathering areas will promote water conservation through native, drought-resistant, and indigenous plantings that direct rainwater to a natural creek bed.

The interior design focuses on occupant well-being by embracing biophilia as a connection to nature through highly filtered clean air, locally sourced materials, and natural daylight and views. Building efficiency will be achieved through smart control systems and physical mobility is encouraged through easy access to stairwells.

Creating spaces for STEM

Stantec has steadily helped clients across North America respond to evolving academic and STEM learning, with related projects such as: Yale University Science Building; The University of Texas at Dallas Sciences Building; University of Lethbridge Science Commons (with KPMB Architects); West Chester University Sciences & Engineering Center; Central Michigan University Biosciences Building; Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi Engineering & Life Sciences Research Building; and The University of Texas at Permian Basin School of Engineering Building.

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ALEXANDRIA, Va.—International development and construction firm Skanska has finished up its work on the new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, the first net zero-ready school for the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) system, located just across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital.

The 150,000-square-foot school is located on the same site as a previously existing 65,000-square-foot school. The new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School will be home to students ranging from pre-K to 5th grade.

Inside, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School hosts art and music rooms as well as modern classrooms. The exterior features newly laid turf fields, basketball courts, playgrounds as well as a student drop-off area. Furthermore, locating the school’s parking underground increases the amount of recreational area on the outside—a premium in the DMV—while simultaneously fashioning even more green space to surround the new building.

The net-zero energy model means that the power generated for the school itself will be matched by the energy actually used by the facility. These types of schools have been shown to consume significantly less energy as opposed to those that rely on a more traditional power-needs structure.

Among the net-zero design features being utilized at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School are a geothermal system beneath the artificial athletic field turn, which uses the earth’s natural ability to cool or heat a building. Additionally, the school’s bathrooms will utilize low-flush toilets and low-output sinks. The HVAC system takes advantage of natural sunlight and ventilation to assist with airflow and temperature regulation as well.

Skanska worked at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in association with architect of record DLR Group to realize the educational project.

“Skanska is a leader in sustainable construction, and it is our privilege to partner with ACPS to deliver this modern and energy efficient building to the Alexandria community,” Dale Kopnitsky, general manager and executive vice president responsible for Skanska’s Washington, D.C., building operations, said of the project. “The impact of this project will not only provide operational cost savings to the school district but create a healthier space for students to learn and thrive.”

Skanska’s other educational construction projects in the greater Washington, D.C., area include George Mason University’s Life Sciences and Engineering Building in Prince William County. The company has also built VHC Health’s Outpatient Pavilion in Arlington; 17xM, an 11-story, 334,000-square-foot office building in Washington; OZMA, a 12-story, mixed-use development with 275 luxury apartments in Washington; 3901 Fairfax, a 190,000-square-foot nine-story office building in Arlington; and Heming, a 28-story, 410-unit luxury apartment building in Tysons.

Skanska continues to innovate in terms of sustainable construction and development. The firm was founded more than 135 years ago, and operates in Scandinavia, greater Europe and the United States. Their U.S. operations are headquartered in New York, and the firm hosts 29 total offices around the country.

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