ROSEAU, Minn.—Construction management and real estate development firm Kraus-Anderson has finished the second phase of its $43 million renovation project at the Roseau Community Schools in Roseau. The 141,000-square-foot work commenced in July 2020.

The renovations, which were designed by JLG Architects, encompass renovating and expanding the K-12 school, entailing 81,000 square feet of ground-up construction as well as renovating an extra 60,000 square feet of educational space. Phase 1 work entailed most of the remodeling, while Phase 2 work included 16,416 square feet of new construction and redesign. Among the new classrooms completed by Kraus-Anderson and JLG are areas for Career and Technical Education (CTE), band and choir rooms, and administrative spaces. The builders also enlarged the gym areas.

The work also called for updating the HVAC system and making improvements to accord with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). From a safety perspective, the contractors also made improvements to the fire system, applied a more secure front entrance, as well as designed a renovated pickup and drop-off area entailing a circular driveway.

“The project impacted every area of curriculum and teaching within our high school….every area,” said Tom Jerome, district superintendent. “From math and science to music and special education, no part went untouched. Natural light was also an emphasis, conference rooms were added, and even our hallways have been transformed into flexible learning spaces, no longer just serving as passageways for our students. We could not be more excited!”

Kraus-Anderson is based in Minneapolis, with additional regional offices throughout the Upper Midwest.

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LAKEFIELD, Minn.—Kraus-Anderson has finished up its work for the Jackson County Central Schools District on a new-build middle school and an elementary school renovation.

The $26 million, 84,000-square-foot Jackson County Central Middle School, designed by JLG Architects, entails new classrooms, kitchens, common areas, technology classrooms, music education areas, as well as a gymnasium. Construction commenced in March of 2021.

Kraus-Anderson has also finished renovating the adjacent Pleasantview Elementary School. The contractor’s work at the elementary school entailed air quality upgrades and necessary improvements to be in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

Both projects were funded thanks to a $35.4 million bond referendum that was passed by voters in November 2019 in order to meet upgrades throughout the district. The new technical classrooms are also meant to help students as they prepare for careers beyond the post-secondary educational paradigm.

Kraus-Anderson project manager Dustin Kempf spoke with School Construction News recently about the construction. Among the early issues, he said, was that when the project went out for bid in late 2020, contractors were “a little bit more hungry” for work, but the industry still hadn’t quite figured out how to operate as the covid-19 pandemic continued.

“It was fighting our way back from that,” Kempf said. The next big hurdle Kempf related was that the subcontractor that was scheduled to fabricate steel for the school’s construction suddenly went out of business.

“The day it was scheduled to get installed, we got a notice [that] their doors closed—and we found out they did not fabricate any of the steel,” he recalled. “Before we even had a chance to set the steel, we were already three to five months behind. We actually had to sub it out…knowing construction rebidding the job out can take four to six weeks, and that’s the best-case scenario.”

Kraus-Anderson was eventually able to source the necessary steel for the construction.

“The design company that we were working with for the steel, we kept them on because the fabricators subbed out the design part of it,” Kempf said. “The in-house engineering firm was…probably a 10- or 12-hour time difference…so most of our conversations had to be [done] very early in the [morning].”

Kempf added that the initial fire protection contractor also went into default, as did a tile contractor, requiring yet more rebids for subcontractors. All told, he believes the various delays resulted in the work being six months behind schedule. Nevertheless, his firm was able to get it all completed.

“We still feel supply chain issues,” he said. “I have to believe it’s going to improve. I don’t think there’s any way it can be sustained.”

Kraus-Anderson was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Minneapolis.

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FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Officials at Sacred Heart University’s West Campus in Fairfield recently celebrated the groundbreaking for a new $70 million hockey and skating arena.

The 122,158-square-foot building will have “technologically enhanced” locker room amenities, fitness and training areas, as well as sports medicine and hydrotherapy suites. Additionally, as the facility will be geared toward training student athletes to be competitive for the NHL, the building will also have a rapid-shot puck room and facilities for videotaping practice. The arena itself is built to NHL specifications of 85 feet by 200 feet.

The hockey rink is a joint collaboration between JLG Architects, the SLAM Collaborative, Dimensional Innovations and Consigli Construction.

At the groundbreaking, SHU President John J. Petillo said that the new arena will be home to the university’s Division I men’s and women’s hockey teams as well as the school’s figure skating athletes.

“It is the continuation of a multi-year expansion program to support student growth, engagement and personal development,” Petillo said. “This facility will serve our student-athletes both on and off the ice.”

The president also thanked Frank and Marisa Martire, who donated $5 million to the construction cost, and in whose honor the building will be named. Frank Martire, a 1969 alum of Sacred Heart, currently serves as chair of Sacred Heart’s board of trustees, and also holds an interest in the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights franchise. Previously, the Martires also supported the Frank & Marisa Martire Center for the Liberal Arts and Chapel of the Holy Spirit, both parts of the Sacred Heart campus.

“They give of their time, their talent and their philanthropy, which is extremely valuable to us,” Petillo said of the couple.

The first games at the new arena are scheduled to be played in January 2023. In addition to sporting events, the Martire arena will play host to various learning laboratories for SHU students studying hospitality, sports communication and management, media and marketing. Guest lectures, concerts and other activities will take place there as well.

“This arena will be a Division I intercollegiate skating cornerstone and one of the best in the Northeast,” Jim Barquinero, senior vice president of enrollment & athletics, said in a statement. In fact, it was Barquinero who founded the school’s hockey and figure skating programs in the 1990s. “In addition to providing a sophisticated and beautiful home venue for our teams, it will serve our entire university community and residents throughout the region,” he said.

“This is a historic day, not only for the university, but for our hockey programs,” added C.J. Marottolo, head coach of the men’s ice hockey team. “This arena has NHL amenities with a collegial feel. Our teams and students will have a place to call home, and that really fills my heart.”

“I’m so thrilled about having a rink on campus,” Lisa Fedick, head coach of the figure skating club, said of the project. “The university has tremendous commitment to figure skating and all ice sports. We’re looking forward to taking our program to premier status.”

Sacred Heart is the second-largest Catholic university in New England.

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