Designing and building for education’s future

Ellensburg School District (ESD) had a vision to create collaborative, out-of-the-box learning environments for better experiences. To make this vision a reality, OAC guided ESD as its program capital improvement team for the $75-million 2018 bond program.

The program included constructing a new 500-student K- school, building a new Mt. Stuart Elementary School on its existing site, and renovating and expanding Lincoln Elementary School. Constructing a new Mt. Stuart school in lieu of modernization increased the district’s flexibility to design for the future at a lesser cost. We also addressed maintenance and safety concerns to improve the schools’ security, including parking and traffic improvements, secure entrances, and HVAC upgrades. To maximize efficiency, our team led the district through a detailed program review to validate everything from program scope, budget, and project delivery, to market analysis of the region’s construction forecasts.

During the 4-month validation and planning period, our team found significant cost and time savings. By combining the new elementary school and Mt. Stuart Elementary School projects into one, we successfully saved the district over $500,000. The overall program duration was also shortened by 18 months, enabling a seamless transition for students and teachers.