The Charter Schools Development Corporation (CSDC), founded in 1997, is based in the Washington, DC metro area. This non-profit organization was established to help public charter schools purchase property for schools and to finance related capital improvements. CSDC also lobbies to improve laws that regulate charter school projects.
City Living Ventures, LLC is a real estate firm working with them on behalf of Horizon Science Academy, an Ohio Charter School. Horizon Science operates several schools in Ohio, including an elementary, junior high and high school in Columbus. Horizon elementary school needed to expand and they had scouted a location on Morse Road.
After one of our working partners told us about the planned work, we were able to bid on this competitive project. After reviews and meetings, CSDC awarded us the work and we began mobilizing on the jobsite.
The building needed a lot of TLC to render it suitable for use as an elementary school.
Challenges
Converting a Furniture Store into Kid-Friendly Space
The building had been a Furniture Row outlet. The badly outdated facility had to be gutted prior to the start of work:
The building was set back to a “vanilla box” during demolition, affording a clear working environment for all the subtrades
Construction of new, steel-framed partition walls for corridors and classrooms, bringing the facility up to fire regulations
Extremely accelerated schedule to get the client moved into their new facility prior to the start of the school year
Features
A Functional & Aesthetic Learning Environment
25,910 square foot renovation for the Elementary School
All new walls, flooring and ceilings with kid-friendly finishes
New Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning throughout facility
Four new restrooms with ADA-compliant plumbing fixtures
Buffer screening installed in the existing perimeter chain link fencing to provide privacy for the children and staff
Replacement of the old roof with a new membrane roofing system
Landscaping and Parking Lot improvements
Results
It's Back to School—Just in Time
The finished elementary school will be open in time for the staff to move in and get things ready prior to the start of the 2008-2009 school year.
Because of the efforts put forth by the Owner, their Realtor, MCR Services and our working partners, this fast-tracked project can be successfully built, safely, to high standards of construction, within budget and—most importantly—on time
Community and Education-based projects are rewarding for everyone involved. MCR Services and our team were delighted to be a part of this Charter School project for Horizon Science Academy.
