Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Kraus-Anderson Finishes $21.4M, Two-School Renovation Project

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/17/23

Kraus-Anderson in Duluth, Minn., recently announced that it has completed a $21.43-million addition and remodel of two facilities for Ely Public Schools in Ely, Minn. The district consists of Ely Memorial High School and Washington Elementary School, which serve a combined total of about 550 students, according to a news release. The project involved 110,500 square feet of renovation work total, including a 71,000-square-foot remodel of the two schools, according to a news release.

“The project added a new 39,000-square-foot commons area that creates a connection link between the high school and the elementary school,” said Todd Erickson, senior project manager at Kraus-Anderson. “The area also contains a safe and secure entry system, school district offices, and high-school and elementary offices.”

Ely Public Schools Renovation Addition
Image courtesy of Shore to Shore Communications, Inc.

The new space includes CTE classrooms, a media center, gymnasium, music room, metals shop and wood shop, and a new cafeteria with upgraded kitchen equipment, the news release reports. The high school gained new boys’ and girls’ locker rooms, the elementary school a new Early Family Childhood Education (ECFE) area, and both received new HVAC systems.

Construction started in May 2021, and the school district also partnered with Architectural Resources, Inc., for the design.

“In addition to budget, staffing, and supply-chain challenges brought about by COVID-19, crews discovered 1,700 cubic yards of ledge rock, which had to be blasted and excavated to allow installation of new utilities,” Erickson said.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.