Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Ups and Downs

  • By Deb Moore
  • 02/01/10
There are ups – and there are downs. Ten years ago, I was happy to report that school construction increased 16 percent over the year prior. This year, the figures are not nearly as positive. According to the School Planning & Management 15th Annual School Construction Report, school construction in 2009 fell 16 percent from one year ago, to just $16.4 billion, the lowest annual total for school construction since 1998. A majority of the construction complete in 2009, almost 73-percent, was for new buildings — which makes sense since construction on them was started before the economy went into recession mode (you can find the complete Construction Report with national and regional data on our Website). Despite the dismal findings of this year’s report, education and healthcare are still the strongest industries out there. With education being a priority of the President, the politicians and the public — when the economy turns, I am sure that investments in education will lead the way.

To be sure that we are ready to build the safest and best schools possible when the funds are available, you may notice some changes to the magazine. First, is the addition of a new column by Mike Halligan on fire safety. Mike is the associate director of Environmental Health and Safety at the University of Utah and is responsible for Fire Prevention and Special Events Life Safety. In Mike’s column, you can look forward to hearing about performance-based code solutions for school building projects, as well as other important aspects of fire safety. You can read Mike’s first column on page 12 in this issue.

You may also notice that we have given the magazine a facelift — making it easier for you to find the information that you want and need. The same is true of our Websites. Over the years, we have developed a number of Websites to house our research and article archive; a comprehensive buyers’ guide for education; our Education Design Showcase, a database containing hundreds of school projects. All of these sites are now linked through one portal — planning4education.com. While the economy is making things a little harder for all of us, we hope to make things a little easier for you!

Featured

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).