Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Room(s) to Breathe

  • 05/01/17
Riverside Elementary 

NJPA and Gordian helped to provide a solution to construction and timing problems faced by Riverside Elementary as they implemented an expansion to ease student crowding issues.

Due to a sudden influx of students, Riverside Elementary School in Brainerd, Minn., found itself in dire need of an expansion. It had reached the point during the 2014-15 school year that students were attending classes in an abandoned locker room.

Faced with the pressing deadline of an impending new school year, the district looked to National Joint Powers Alliance and Gordian ezIQC for a fast solution that still met procurement requirements.

At the onset of the project, the school laid out three stipulations:

  • Make the budget work;
  • Complete the project by the start of the school year; and
  • Use as many local subcontractors, suppliers and workers as possible.

Crews broke ground for the 12,150-foot addition in March 2015. The project scope included seven new classrooms, boys’ and girls’ bathrooms, plus bathrooms in two classrooms, a staff work space for copier machines and computers, and a staff bathroom. Overall, the project increased the school’s space by approximately 20 percent.

By accessing the competitively solicited ezIQC contract with Hy-Tec Construction, available through NJPA, the project was accelerated and the school district’s three main goals were achieved.

The project was completed within the budget, on time, and 93 percent of the subcontractors and suppliers were located within a 20-mile radius of the work site.

Earl Wolleat, Brainerd Public Schools director of building & grounds, praised the ezIQC process and work of Hy-Tec:

“It wasn’t on time, it was ahead of schedule. And that’s one of the things that still amazes me about this project. It came in on budget, and you know, that’s all somebody from buildings and grounds can expect is on time and on budget, [then] move on to the next project,” he says.

www.njpacoop.org

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • 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.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.