ORANGE, N.J.—The New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) recently awarded an $18.4 million contract for construction services at the Cleveland Street Elementary School in Orange to Brockwell & Carrington Contractors, Inc. The architect on the project is LAN Associates, Engineering, Planning, Architecture, Surveying, Inc. Construction is set to begin this fall.

The project will address overcrowding and facility condition deficiencies at the Cleveland Street Elementary School. Built in 1898, this project is long overdue and will involve an approximate 12,000-square-foot, single-story addition to the existing school, which includes a security lobby, multi-purpose room, kitchen, servery, support facilities, and a three-story link connecting the addition to the existing facility.

Extensive renovations to the currently facility (which is approximately 38,750 square feet) will include lighting updates, boiler rehabilitation, abatement and work on interior and exterior doors among other items. These renovations will also involve system upgrades and repairs to accommodate existing and planned educational programs.

“The new Cleveland Street Elementary School will include significant renovations and state-of-the-art technology to improve learning opportunities for NJ students,” says SDA Interim Chief Executive Officer Manuel Da Silva. “Our professional staff looks forward to working with our contractors to complete this project on time and on budget.”

With a completion date slated for September 2021, the renovated Cleveland Street Elementary School has been designed to educate approximately 316 students (with a maximum of 348) in pre-Kindergarten to 6^th grade.

“The expansion of our elementary school is a much needed and important project for the Orange School District,” says Ronald Lee, interim superintendent of the Orange School District. “Our students will now study in a high-quality facility that they can be proud of and is conducive to their learning and success. As a district, we are grateful and look forward to our continued collaboration with the SDA.”

The SDA is the state agency responsible for fully funding and managing the new construction, modernization and renovation of school facilities projects in 31 SDA districts. Its current portfolio of active projects is valued at approximately $2 billion. Since the program’s inception, the SDA has provided funding for and management oversight of more than 850 completed school facilities projects in SDA districts and has executed more than 5,400 grants for Regular Operating Districts throughout New Jersey.

The post Extensive Upgrade for Historic New Jersey School appeared first on School Construction News.

JERSEY CITY, N.J — The new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) facility for the Hudson County Community College in Jersey City will have a grand opening ceremony on Sept. 19. The new facility will feature 10 science labs, including microbiology, genetics and engineering, as well as general classrooms, computer labs, a stepped lecture hall, multi-purpose room, lobby and outdoor patio space.

The six-story 74,000-square-foot STEM facility had an overall project budget of $25 million. RSC Architects in Hackensack, N.J., was the lead architect on the project, with Brockwell & Carrington in Towaco, N.J., as the general contractor. A&J Consulting Engineers in Clifton, N.J., handled MEP, and Remington-Vernick Engineers in Haddonfield, N.J., handled site and structural elements of the project. Work on the project began in fall 2015.

In addition to creating a state-of-the-art STEM facility, the goal of the project was to consolidate and centralize the college’s STEM programs into one stand-alone location, while connecting to the adjacent science building. Additionally, the college wanted to foster collaboration among the disciplines and to provide more classroom space for the growing educational programs to attract students with a strong interest in STEM education, according to Ken Mihalik, project manager at RSC.

“The building is a nice addition to the Journal Square neighborhood as it provides an attractive and contemporary appearance signifying that something special is happening inside,” said Mihalik. “At the same time, through the use of masonry and brick-colored panels, the building seems to easily work with the existing context of the area.”

Fully accessible by public transportation, the building will serve as a beacon to welcome students entering the facility. The new facility has a light-filled lobby that also serves as a cyber cafe, with an adjacent outdoor courtyard, intended to foster collaboration amongst students. The main level has a multipurpose room used for hosting lectures and science demonstrations. Enclosed in a glass storefront system, students can view the new state-of-the-art laboratories from the central common areas. The labs will be equipped with audiovisual and information technology (AV/IT) tools, and are intended to allow for simultaneous activities and group collaboration.

The building has been designed as a LEED-certified building, which includes a mechanical system that allows for more individualized zone controls. Recycled materials were used in the construction of the new facility. Installation of ultra low-flow plumbing fixtures will save the facility on water use, and the use of daylighting will reduce energy use for lighting. Additionally, room occupancy sensors have been installed to reduce use of lighting when the building is unoccupied or for spaces that are not currently in use.

The biggest challenge of the project was to fit the building onto a very tight urban site, according to Mihalik. “This was accomplished through a delicate balance of maximizing floor plate, while at the same time providing adequate building setbacks to allow for windows and some limited outdoor space,” said Mihalik. “We also accomplished this through a very efficient floor plan, which minimized circulation space.”

The post Grand Opening of STEM Facility at Hudson County Community College appeared first on School Construction News.