Sacramento’s newest K-8 public school welcomed students back to school this fall, after the builders overcame the challenges of building through the disruptions of the pandemic—and even managed to shave $5 million off the budget.
Supply Chain Challenges?
The Boldt Company began construction on the $60 million Paso Verde School in May 2019. Even pre-pandemic, Lionakis Architects had planned the school with outdoor classrooms and space for collaborative learning. These design decisions turned out to be right on point, as the pandemic made new considerations for safe schools paramount. Nonetheless, the builders faced numerous challenges—many, due to supply chain disruption. As Construction Dive reports:
The cement shortage in Northern California significantly delayed concrete installation on the project. Manufacturing delays affected windows, roofing, flooring and casework. Flooring that was manufactured in South Korea needed to be re-sourced, and materials made in California had to be shifted to manufacturing facilities in Texas and Kentucky.
The new facility, which was completed in March, includes a 19-acre campus with six buildings, approximately 38 teaching stations, and more than 90,000 square feet, serving approximately 1,000 students. The campus includes an administration building, gym with locker rooms, science labs, multipurpose room, music room, amphitheater and outdoor garden space.
Collaboration played a big role in getting the school built. Using California’s “leaseback statute,” the school district leased the property to the developer who built the new school—and now will lease the facility back to the school district. Project leaders attribute this arrangement to the success of the school district and builder partnering closely to complete construction and make change to address challenges along the way. For example, the design called for overhead folding doors, but Boldt suggested swapping them out with a storefront window application—which saved over $1.5 million. Similarly, changes in the siding system resulted in another $1.5 million.
High Demand: School Buildings
From 2020-2021, Congress allocated about $200 billion to state and local education departments to help reopen schools. With 54% of public school districts across the country facing the challenge of replacing and updating multiple buildings, now’s the time to dig into the action. Come on in: Pre-Qualify For A Surety Line of Credit from Colonial Surety Company. Simply sign up, fill out a few details about your business and receive free Dun and Bradstreet financial scores. Once pre-qualified, submit additional information to be approved for a surety single and aggregate line of credit. Then, you’ll have a competitive advantage as you use The Partnership Account® Services to:
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Failing Grades: Innovation Imperative
A 2020 report from the Government Accountability Office points to the poor state of school building infrastructure nationwide. Thirty-six states have provided capital funding for school construction and renovation. Failing school buildings impact young people: in Los Angeles, four years of attendance at a newly constructed school closed 45% of the match achievement gap.
Architects, builders, educators, and public leaders are especially eager to seize new opportunities to build schools that will keep children safe—and inspired—as they learn amidst the disruption of the pandemic. Experts predict that new and renovated school facilities will increasingly use flexible designs to accommodate individual and group learning. Embracing the possibilities of outdoor spaces and letting the outside in, as well as designing for high-tech learning experiences are also high on the list across the country. Of course, the importance of air circulation and ventilation means HVAC contractors are critically needed for school construction, as are plumbers with expertise in contactless fixtures and a green mindset. As the action revs up, don’t forget: Colonial Surety’s I-Bond® portfolio makes it easy to secure the bonds needed—instantly, and digitally, anywhere in the country.
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