Hybrid Construction Rebuilds Burned Down Gym
FRYEBURG, Maine — When Fryeburg Academy’s gymnasium burned down, the school needed a fast, low cost reconstruction that would maintain the quality of the school to continue to attract students.
"We had an immediate obligation to rebuild and to do so as cost-effectively and as quickly as possible," said Dan Lee, headmaster at Fryeburg Academy in Maine. "But we need to show prospective students a really magnificent campus."
The private sch
ool, built in 1792, required a new building with modern facilities that would fit in with the school’s historic campus. To meet these needs, Fryeburg Academy selected Sheridan Corporation, a Fairfield, Maine-based contractor that incorporates Butler Building pre-engineered steel building systems, according to Butler Manufacturing officials.
ool, built in 1792, required a new building with modern facilities that would fit in with the school’s historic campus. To meet these needs, Fryeburg Academy selected Sheridan Corporation, a Fairfield, Maine-based contractor that incorporates Butler Building pre-engineered steel building systems, according to Butler Manufacturing officials.Rick MacKenzie, a LEED AP sales engineering manager for Sheridan, knew his job was to find ways to cut costs. "We looked for places where value engineering could come into play," he said.
Working with Butler Manufacturing, the firm used hybrid construction that allowed the project to be done in phases to speed it up. The gymnasium was already under construction while details were being finalized about the offices, fitness rooms and other areas, the statement said.
Steve Eisenacher, sales engineer at Butler Manufacturing said he integrated systems construction with conventional construction to maximize cost-effectiveness. The approach allowed him to integrate the structural system into the design while dramatically reducing costs.
Construction of the gymnasium included Butler’s Widespan structural system to provide clearspans for the three basketball courts and come in at a fraction of the cost of conventional steel, the statement said. The system also enabled easy meshing with conventional construction of the two-storied support facilities.
The gymnasium also features an MR-24 roof system, a popular product among schools due to its low maintenance and long life, according to the statement.
Sheridan also operated as a single-source supplier, a process that allows budgets to be monitored on an ongoing basis.
“If pricing comes in over budget it can be caught early and the necessary changes can be made,” the statement said.
MacKenzie estimates that Sheridan shaved about a month off construction time by using hybrid construction and single sourcing from Butler.