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

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.