Barton Malow Builders Expand into K–12 Market

Contracting firm Barton Malow Builders announced this week that it is partnering with Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Fla., as the construction manager on a large-scale capital improvement project. According to a press release, the Low-Voltage Systems Capital Renewal project is valued at more than $20 million and aims to replace and update fire alarms, security camera sub-systems and intercoms at about 40 schools around the district.

“Barton Malow is excited to partner with OCPS, one of the largest school districts in the nation,” said Randy Zylstra, Director of Florida Operations for Barton Malow. The partnership will also involve VoltAir Consulting Engineers and Provisions Construction & Development, two minority partner firms, in an effort to foster relationships among local businesses.

Barton Malow ranked #13 in Building Design + Construction’s 2020 list of Top K–12 Contractors, as well as #10 in the Engineering News-Record’s 2020 list of Top Education Contractors. Construction on the Capital Renewal project is scheduled to begin this fall and to finish sometime during 2022. Officials also anticipate that the project will create a substantial number of new jobs in Central Florida.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Porter Family Center

    Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.