NILES, Ill.—Construction is set to begin in June 2022 on expanding Culver School, a PreK-8 elementary school located in Niles, a city located 14 miles northwest of Chicago.

With a completion date slated for late summer 2023, the $14.5 million renovation and expansion project will relieve an overall space crunch and better accommodate Nile School District 71’s fast-growing early childhood program and improve conditions for final arts, physical education, and educational opportunities.

The project will add 30,000 square feet to the existing 100,000 square feet, while renovating approximately 12,000 square feet inside.

In November, the school district hired Gilbane Building Co. of Rhode Island and Chicago as the construction manager. The district has engaged STR Partners of Chicago as architect on the project.

STR Partners is planning a series of virtual meetings with stakeholders to inform parents and community members and seek their input into the plans. Later this year, final plans will be drawn up and a formal construction bidding process will begin.

“We are using every classroom now,” said School Superintendent John Kosirog, in a statement.

“Every space in the building is currently occupied, including using part of the library for classes.”

The project also includes a complete remodel of the library. The music and band rooms on the west side of the building will be converted into early childhood classrooms that will have a separate entrance and dedicated outdoor play space for the young children. The music rooms will be relocated to the new space and an orchestra room added.

The addition will include a new combination gym and fine arts stage space large enough to host school sporting and fine arts events and seat approximately 750 people. That is expected to reduce or eliminate conflicts that arise because the PE and athletics programs and the music program must share the current gym, which will remain available.

The second floor of the addition will include two new state-of-the-art STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) classrooms and an outdoor green roof that will also serve as educational space.

In the past six years, enrolment at Culver School has increased from approximately 580 students to 660 students.

“The project will allow us to create engaging, student-centered 21^st-century learning spaces for students,” said School Board President Matt Holbrook, in a statement. “We’re very excited.”

The project will be paid for from district fund balances and an anticipated $800,000 per year in new property taxes to be gained from expiration of a tax-increment financing (TIF) district. School officials say it will not require a referendum or property tax increase.

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CHICAGO—DLR Group is partnering with Barrington 220 School District in Illinois to update learning environments and improve safety and security measures at its 12 school facilities. Despite being ranked the best school district in Illinois in 2018 by 24/7 Wall St., several facilities within the district are outdated and need major renovation. Significant improvements are necessary to continue to provide students with a top-rated education and better prepare them for their futures.

“Our original selection of DLR Group was based on their commitment to an educational-based master plan. We are excited to implement many of the ideas that were generated during that process into our schools to benefit student learning for years to come in Barrington 220,” said Superintendent Dr. Brian Harris.

DLR Group’s design solution enhances the educational experience for all the district’s students and staff. Located approximately 35 miles northwest of Chicago, the district serves nearly 9,000 students in grades pre-K through 12. Enhancements include new instructional spaces at all elementary schools for STEM education and students with special needs, new classrooms at both middle schools, and an addition at Barrington High School. Improvements at BHS, which was originally built in 1949, include new classrooms to support next generation learning models, cafeteria upgrades, a space dedicated to physical education and wellness, and a new student services area to house counseling, attendance, health services.

“In 2017, DLR Group led a district-wide facilities master planning process to assess learning environments and to guide decisions related to facilities and capital investments. We are honored to continue our working relationship with the community to implement capital projects identified in the plan,” said DLR Group Principal Dennis Bane, AIA, LEED AP. “Our designs will incorporate a variety of adaptable spaces district-wide to allow students and staff the ability to modify their environment daily and to offer students more flexible learning opportunities.”

Other improvements include infrastructure and life safety system upgrades at all schools, the elimination of mobile classrooms at three campuses, a new district-wide digital security system, and improved traffic flow at BHS. The projects are funded following a successful bond election on March 17, 2020. More than 60 percent of citizens voted in favor of the $147 million referendum.

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse.

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BLOOMINGDALE, Ill.—A recent expansion at Winnebago Elementary School in Bloomingdale has allowed Marquardt School District 15 to triple its early childhood enrollment capacity. The additional classroom space has also enabled the district to transition from half-day to full-day kindergarten—a first for the community.

“The new, child-friendly spaces at Winnebago increase student engagement and interaction, as well as improve the social-emotional development of our youngest learners,” said

MSD15 Superintendent Dr. Jerry O’Shea in a statement.

Legat Architects designed this $8.6 million project and Marquardt School District 15 served as construction manager. Features include the following:

• New gymnasium three times larger than the old one
• New commons/multipurpose space where students eat
• A cross-curricular STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, art, math) lab
• Early childhood playground addition
• Parking lot upgrades

The school’s new corridor is a large glass wall that displays an enclosed early learning playground where MSD15’s youngest learners can run, climb, ride, bounce and jump.

The corridor leads to a workroom and a conference room, then to the early learning classrooms, where floor-to-ceiling windows fill the spaces with daylight.

Between classrooms, integrated therapy rooms allow specialists to observe classes or work one-on-one or in small groups of students with specific needs. Each pair of classrooms shares a collaborative workspace in which teachers meet and plan lessons. Every classroom also has a restroom to promote independence and save instruction time.

“The space will allow for the rigorous and engaging lessons for our preschool and kindergarten students for years to come,” explained Winnebago Principal Shari Lazor. “The teachers love the expansion. They have ample room and it’s so much brighter than before.”

At a ribbon-cutting event last fall where more than 250 community members gathered within the new gymnasium—which is triple the size of the previous one and allows more physical education opportunities and community assemblies—MSD15 School Board President Jean Randazzo thanked the community for its commitment to the children.

“This construction is the culmination of years of advocacy, planning and hard work from not only current, but also past boards of education, district administration, Winnebago school and staff, Legat Architects, and the district’s own recently-retired buildings and grounds director Bill Brown.”

Added Legat President/CEO Patrick Brosnan, “MSD15 has emerged as a regional leader and champion for full-day kindergarten and early childhood education for students. The district is setting an example for other districts that are studying options to implement similar programs.”

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OAK PARK, Ill.—School board members for Oak Park and River Forest High School in Oak Park recently approved $4.5 million worth of capital improvement projects, which will take place this summer.

According to an article by the Chicago Tribune, at its meeting in mid-December, the OPRF board unanimously approved funding of $4,583,062 to Pepper Construction, which will disburse the money among the lowest qualified bidders for six separate bid packages. These summer 2020 projects are independent of the larger Project 1 campus renovation, which will also begin this year.

In total, the school received 32 bidders for the six summer construction packages, with bids being opened in mid-November. According to a district memo, substantial completion of the projects is slated for early August.

“We are over budget on what was budgeted [last] February,” said Chief Operations Officer Mike Carioscio. “The over budget is because of the roof [portion of the project].”

The work includes electrical panel and feeder replacement, testing of 12kV electrical switchgear, a VoIP phone system, auditorium lighting control replacement, transformer vault repairs, roofing replacement, masonry repairs and ceiling and lighting work in the 1 West Gym.

In a statement, Board Member Tom Cofsky said he would like to see a list of previous capital improvement projects, as well as projects that may be upcoming, which he feels will better guide future decisions.

“In the information provided, there was a little bit of a historical look back. Last year, we were $900,000 underspent on our capital, if I recall. As we talk about this work, there’s things that just keep coming up. It would be helpful as we do that to put them in perspective, a big picture perspective. Essentially, this work is about trying to take a 100-year-old building and make it modern. Having the perspective of where we are on that would be a helpful thing.”

Fellow board member Ralph Martire agreed and said a rolling 10-year plan would allow the board to budget more carefully and prioritize future projects.

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BREESE, Ill.—Poettker Construction Company, a second-generation family-owned construction company and one of the top 75 largest general contractors in the Midwest, recently announced the opening of its new, 40,000-square-foot headquarters, located at 400 S. Germantown Rd. in Breese. This new construction consolidates five separate facilities into a single, central building that is more than 30 percent larger than the previous workspaces.

“Our plan for this new headquarters was rooted in a two-fold purpose,” said Keith Poettker, president of Poettker Construction. “We wanted to celebrate the vision and craftsmanship of the Poettker team and demonstrate our skills and capabilities to our clients, as well as offer employees the best possible environment in which to grow and expand their career while ensuring work-life balance.”

Inspired by the traditional style of German bank barns, the new headquarters’ exterior façade complements the history and values of the Breese community while featuring materials and finishes that are prominent in Poettker’s diverse portfolio: structural steel framing, concrete, exposed glulam beams, masonry, metal wall panels, wood plank siding, and standing seam metal roofing. Visible from multiple elevations, the sharp pitch in the spine of the central roof is reminiscent of traditional barn roofs and serves as a core visual element that pulls the side structure together into a unified, organic whole.

Among the new headquarters’ prime features is an outdoor sanctuary incorporating a tranquil lake with a waterfall and two fountain features, beautiful landscaping and entertaining areas. The back of the building features a walk-out lower level with a covered gallery that echoes passages built on the sheltered side of German barns. The gallery leads to the 1/3-mile walking path, which allows employees to break from the traditional nine-to-five work environment and destress with nature.

Other amenities include:

An expansive lobby and guest lounge boasting 37-foot ceilings with sightlines to the exterior lake and natural elements.

Cubicles tailored toward a 21st century environment, including sit-to-stand workstations and open collaboration concepts.

Geothermal HVAC system, solar panel farm and LED lights to reduce energy consumption by 75 percent along with reducing the carbon footprint by 65 percent.

Health and wellness facilities available on site, including a 24/7 fitness center equipped with lockers and bathrooms, and a dedicated health wellness room.

In-house training room with real time conversation features that can accommodate 100 people.

The headquarters opening comes alongside recent success in the company including the opening of a Southeast regional office in Charlotte, N.C., as well as leadership promotions to accommodate strategic growth within the company.

St. Louis-based Oculus Inc. served as the architect and interior designer of record and Aviston, Ill.-based Netemeyer Engineering Associates Inc. served as civil engineer. Other design consultants included IMEG of St. Louis as structural engineer, BRiC Partnership of Belleville as the MEPFP coordinator and DTLS of St. Louis as the landscape architect.

Poettker Construction will host an open house of its new headquarters on Sunday, Nov. 10, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.—The approximately $27 million addition to Stevenson High School’s East Building in Lincolnshire, Illinois—approximately 33 miles from Chicago— was completed in time for the start of the 2019-20 term in September.

Wight & Company was the architect, and Gilbane Building Co. served as the general contractor on this project that included adding 56,900 square feet to the previously 870,000-square-foot school that was built in 1965. Funded by loans, district savings and a state grant, most of the rooms in the addition are classrooms.

Far from traditional educational spaces, the table and chairs inside each room are on wheels to encourage small group work. Each room also contains multiple digital screens, in addition to individual temperature controls and lights that can be dimmed or brightened.

The additional classrooms throughout the school also have different uses. For example, the first and second floors contain classrooms that can be used for a variety of subjects. The third floor primarily houses specially designed science labs.

The roof features gardens and a greenhouse that will be used by science, art, foods and special education classes.

“We’re going to get a lot of use out of it,” said Stevenson spokesman Jim Conrey told the Daily Herald.

Shatterproof glass panes—which lets in more natural light—also run from floor to ceiling and separate the classrooms from the hallways. They also serve as security role in this era of mass shootings.

The primary purpose of the glass is to protect students from bullets or other objects,” said Conrey.

“Shatterproof glass includes layers of polycarbonate that, when struck by a projectile such as a bullet, would prevent it from exiting the other side. The glass basically absorbs the energy of the projectile upon impact, significantly slows its momentum and keeps the object within the glass layers.”

On the first floor, a courtyard with brick walkways, plants that are native to the areas, and curving concrete benches was built to draw students outdoors.

“It’s just meant to be a nice space where kids can catch a breath of fresh air if they want,” Conrey said.

Approximately 4,400 teens are expected at Stevenson this year, up from about 4,300 last year. Officials predict the student population will exceed 4,600 by the 2025-26 term.

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MOLINE, Ill. — Moline High School’s 62-year-old auditorium has a new look and name—the Bartlett Performing Arts Center.

On March 7, more than 150 members of the Moline-Coal Valley School District 40 community gathered to celebrate completion of the 47,000-square-foot facility. This new center will not only create opportunities for students; it also benefits the entire Moline community and Quad Cities region as an education and entertainment venue.

“From the classrooms to the multiuse and performance spaces, from the set shop to the theater rigging and technology, we now truly have a state-of-the-art area for the arts and we’re thrilled to share such a tremendous facility with the community,” says Moline High School Principal Trista Sanders.

Designed by Legat Architects, which has offices in Illinois and Ohio, and built by Iowa-based Russell, the Bartlett Performing Arts Center stems from a partnership between Moline-Coal Valley School District and the Robert E. Bartlett Family Foundation.

Patrick Brosnan, president and CEO of Legat, recalls that throughout the process they asked, “‘What’s right for students? How does it fit the curriculum? How does it fit the community?’ The answers to these questions influenced everything from the seats and flooring to the ceiling and infrastructure.”

The rejuvenated 6,700-square-foot auditorium now features 800 stadium-style seats and all-new audiovisual systems.

“Theatergoers in the back of the old auditorium had trouble seeing the stage and hearing the performers,” says Legat Project Manager Jeff Sandberg.

“The renovations significantly increase the floor slope to create excellent views from every seat in the house, plus the new systems provide crystal-clear sound.”

This “sound shaping” was modeled by Legat’s consultants (Schuler Shook, Talaske, Advanced Communications), which found the ideal slope and shape to maximize the experience of every audience member.

The renewed auditorium has four large wood veneer “clouds” that stretch between the stage and the back wall to further improve acoustics. Every surface in the new theater is shaped to allow a person in the back of the theater to hear someone on stage speaking in a normal voice without a microphone.

Handicap upgrades were also done to improve seat-to-stage accessibility and designated seating areas for people in wheelchairs. Supporting spaces include an adjacent scene shop with garage doors that open directly to the stage and outdoors, a new dressing and makeup rooms, and storage.

A highlight is the new river-inspired lobby, which is part of the 12,500 square foot addition. It winds between the Performing Arts Center’s two entries and separates performance and instructional spaces. A curving glass wall encourages lobby activity and helps to build anticipation for the evening’s performance.

During the Center’s open house, many guests admired the curving stone wall in the lobby. Inspired by Moline’s location between two rivers, this “river wall” starts outside the building and runs the length of the lobby to connect both entrances.

Part of the project is the addition of a multipurpose room that doubles as a black box performance space. This room, equipped with a small stage and audiovisual/lighting systems, hosts smaller performances and practice sessions when the larger auditorium is booked. Dance, cheer, and other groups can also use the black box for rehearsals. Offices, practice rooms, and storage spaces are located between the classrooms.

The Performing Arts Center was named after philanthropist, arts enthusiast, and businessman Bob Bartlett, a figure who devoted much of his time and resources for the betterment of Moline and its residents. His influence can be seen in everything from establishment of the John Deere Classic (charity golf tournament) and sponsorship of nursing student scholarships to donations to institutions such as schools, Two Rivers YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Club of the Mississippi Valley.

At the dedication ceremony, Dr. Deborah Bracke, chairman of the Robert E. Bartlett Family Foundation sums it up best by calling the new center a “vital hub of creativity and engagement; a state on which our hopes and dreams for the City of Moline can be achieved.”

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URBANA, Ill. — The Illinois College of Liberal Arts & Sciences’ Natural History Building has earned LEED Gold certification for energy efficiency and environmentally friendly construction practices in the wake of a recent $79 million renovation.

Originally built in 1892, the Natural History Building reopened in 2017 after a three-year renovation to modernize and add classrooms, laboratories, and study spaces and enhance teaching, research, and collaboration environments. From the beginning of the project, campus officials directed a significant amount of planning and design efforts toward a goal of attaining gold certification, thereby creating healthier and more sustainable spaces to benefit students, faculty, and staff.

The Illinois College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (LAS) Natural History Building renovation received high merits for being conducted in an environmentally efficient manner, with close attention paid to preventing pollution. More than 76 percent of the construction waste was recycled. A large amount of the material removed from the building was reused.

Rapidly renewable materials, such as bamboo flooring, were used in the renovation project. The Natural History Building also received points for water efficient landscaping, energy efficient heating and air conditioning, high levels of daylight for natural lighting, occupancy sensors, and continual energy monitoring.

“Energy efficiency was one of our primary concerns in renovating the Natural History Building,” said Feng Sheng Hu, the Harry E. Preble Dean of the College of LAS. “We are pleased that the U.S. Green Building Council granted us gold certification. In every step of the process, we modernized and expanded the capabilities of this critical building in a sustainable manner.”

The renovation significantly improved water efficiency at the Natural History Building. The building was able to reduce its water usage by at least 20 percent, which is significant given the large number of laboratories and high student traffic in the building. The project also received high marks for using an existing site, having great access to public transportation, and incorporating bicycle parking.

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GRAYSLAKE,Ill. ­— The College of Lake County (CLC) recently announced that its Science & Engineering Building has achieved LEED Platinum, the highest level of certification achievable with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.

The 42,000-square-foot Science & Engineering Building, which opened in January 2018 at the college’s Grayslake Campus, houses mechatronics, photonics and chemistry classrooms and laboratories. Among its sustainable features are photovoltaic solar panels, green roofs of planted vegetation, a geothermal heating and cooling system and energy efficient fume hoods in chemistry labs, according to David Husemoller, CLC sustainability manager. Other features include LED lighting, and daylight harvesting, in which generous window space in each room gathers natural light, reducing the need for electrical lighting.

“We are honored to earn LEED Platinum certification,” said CLC President Lori Suddick. “As CLC’s first LEED Platinum building, the Science & Engineering Building embodies the college’s commitment to and integration of environmental, economic and social sustainability in its operations and academic programs. The building serves as a living laboratory, inspiring students to learn sustainability practices they can use in their future career fields.”

The Science & Engineering Building is designed to reduce building energy use by 66 percent compared to a standard science building of similar size, Husemoller said. The building’s rainwater recovery system collects rain in an underground tank and uses it for flushing of toilets and urinals, reducing potable water use by 41 percent.

Financing for the $24.9 million building came from the Illinois Capitol Development Board and local funds. “This honor of LEED Platinum is the result of years of planning and dedication with college partners Legat Architects, the Illinois Capital Development Board and others,” said Husemoller.

Before construction, Affiliated Engineers Inc. (AEI) did an energy model that assessed energy conservation measures and their impact on annual energy use and cost. One result of that study is the south façade with its large windows that provide the appropriate amount of daylight into the labs.

The entire building and most of its interior were analyzed to optimize daylighting, reduce glare, and improve thermal performance. The most interesting and not so obvious element is the self-shading façade concept developed by Legat as early as 2008. The shading solution uses extended mullion caps to control light, heat, and glare at virtually no additional cost, and helps fill the academic spaces with an abundance of natural light.

The team recognized that, in order to attain LEED Platinum for a lab building, an east/west orientation was a must to respond to the sun’s seasonal changes in elevation. When the sun is higher in summer, the exterior shades above the windows act like visors and prevent sunlight from hitting windows to reduce solar heat gain. In winter, labs get solar heat gain because the lower sun shines beneath the shades.

Legat’s Jeffrey Sronkoski, principal and director of higher education, said, “From the very onset of the project, the college’s leaders were intent on making the Science and Engineering Building a model of sustainability. Not only did they accomplish their objective, but they also showed that achieving LEED Platinum for science buildings is no longer the holy grail it once was.”

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With a new food service provider serving freshly made breakfast and lunch to students, teachers and staff, a coffee and smoothie bar will also be open throughout the day, according to a report from the Pioneer Press/Chicago Tribune. In addition to the new food service upgrades, which will be funded by the provider, Quest Food Management Services, the district will spend nearly $1.3 million on security upgrades, mechanical systems and other parts of the school before the 2018-2019 term. The largest amount is reportedly being spent on the HVAC system upgrade. When the school was built and expanded, there were three separate systems throughout the campus; when the work is done, there will be just one.

Ken Williams, an assistant principal at Deerfield, said in the report that when Quest takes over the cafeteria duties, the kitchen will be reworked to allow for the preparation of daily fresh options. He said Quest Food Management will make and fund those improvements.

Besides the kitchen renovations, improvements to the internal communications system, the HVAC system and other capital projects will be made, according to John Fuhrer, the facilities coordinator for the school district.

Renovations to the mechanical systems will reportedly cost $1 million while the improvements to the public address system will be $250,000. An additional $20,000 will go towards putting softball field bleachers, and $20,000 will fund a robotics room and makers space. Deerfield High’s public address system is being upgraded as well to ensure everyone in the main building can hear announcements as soon as they are made, with new speakers being installed so no one is more than 10-feet apart from one.

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