Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Overcomes Earthquake Disaster

Charlottesville, VA –A ribbon cutting ceremony marked the beginning of an era for the newly constructed Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Louisa County on Monday. School Board officials, Louisa County School administrators, staff, and members of the community gathered to celebrate the completion of the elementary school, which was destroyed by a magnitude-5.8 earthquake in August 2011. The earthquake caused severe structural damage, making a new school the best option for moving forward.

Timmons Group, a leader in multi-discipline civil engineering and professional consulting services teamed with Rancorn Wildman Architects to deliver architecture and engineering service for the school design. Timmons Group provided civil engineering, surveying and landscape architecture services for the school, which was based on the design for Moss-Nuckols Elementary School. The school will include a separate entrance for community access to facilities like the gym, and a large courtyard in the middle for future science and garden activities.

“It’s been a true pleasure to work with Louisa County Public Schools during the design and construction of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School,” said Craig Kotarski, Project Manager for Timmons Group. “To see the community move forward and rebuild after the earthquake is commendable. This has truly been a unique project to work on.” Since the earthquake, elementary students were attending school in mobile units outside Trevilians Elementary. “I know they are excited to return this fall,” said Kotarski.

For more information, visit www.timmons.com.

Featured

  • Kimball International Launches New Furniture for K–12 Classrooms

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of four new products designed for a variety of professional environments, including K–12 schools, according to a news release.

  • University of Southern Mississippi Starts Construction on Oyster Hatchery

    The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) recently announced that construction has begun on a new oyster hatchery at its Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) Cedar Point campus in Ocean Springs, Miss., according to a news release.

  • Anderson Brulé Architects Rebrands as ABA Studios

    Anderson Brulé Architects, based in San Jose, Calif., recently announced that it is celebrating 40 years of service by rebranding under a new name, according to a news release. The architectural, interior design, and planning firm will now be known as ABA Studios to refresh its identity underneath a new generation of leadership.

  • Delta State University Completes Renovations to School of Nursing Facilities

    Delta State University recently completed a major expansion and renovation project for the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing facilities on its campus in Cleveland, Miss., according to a news release. The project includes about 14,000 square feet of new construction and more than 21,000 square feet of renovation work to the existing space.