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

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • 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.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.