IMAGINE OPRF is a multi-year, five-project initiative that is transforming Oak Park and River Forest High School (OPRF) to provide a more equitable learning environment for the diverse student community at this historic school.

Project 1 features a 3-story addition housing the South Cafeteria and Student Resource Center; renovation of OPRF’s main entrance, Welcome Center, and Student Commons; and the renovation and creation of 80+ classroom, laboratory and extended learning spaces. The addition, in combination with the renovated Student Commons, brings high-use student resource spaces to the center of OPRF where they are accessible during and beyond the school day, a key element of the school’s vision for equity.

The success of OPRF Project 1 demonstrates that an architecturally significant but outmoded facility can honor its heritage and be transformed to offer a full range of flexible learning, collaborating and connecting spaces that foster the success of all students.

OPRF first welcomed students in 1907. While the school was incrementally expanded and renovated in subsequent decades, no significant changes were made after 1968. By the early 2010s, OPRF was long overdue for transformative change. In 2017, the OPRF Board of Education initiated IMAGINE OPRF with a 17-month planning process that engaged school leaders, faculty, staff, students, parents and community members.

The vision of IMAGINE is that every student will have full and equitable access to programs, services and resources that will prepare them for future success. Every space in OPRF should foster learning, social engagement and a sense of community.

Deeply informed by IMAGINE’s community-based master plan, OPRF’s new and renovated spaces incorporate current trends in design for wellness, safety, security and trauma-based support services. Today, OPRF students are learning in flexible, technology-rich spaces that fully support the subject matter and skills they must master to succeed.

One key to equity is access to resources and support services that enhance the likelihood of student success. OPRF’s 3-story addition, which houses the South Cafeteria and Student Resource Center, in combination with the renovated Student Commons, is now the central hub of the school. Informal gathering spaces, resources and student support services are located in this hub and available to students before, during and after the regular school day. Previously, they were scattered throughout the building in hard-to-find locations, reducing accessibility and availability before and after school.

The new South Cafeteria offers a mix of tiered seating options and can be easily re-configured for large school and community gatherings. A new outdoor plaza blends the interior with the exterior and provides a gathering space for individuals and small groups that significantly enhances the existing pedestrian mall.

Above the South Cafeteria, the new two-floor Student Resource Center is a collaborative hub for students to learn, create and connect. The 2nd floor includes the Tutoring Center, Makerspace and Technology Help Desk. A Grand Learning Stair leads to the 3rd floor Library.
In OPRF’s re-imagined Student Commons, the raised entry to the auditorium was expanded to provide an ADA accessible ramp, a gathering space and informal seating areas. Above the platform, a 2nd floor balcony extension provides an open learning area with framed glass walls on two sides overlooking the Commons below. The design integrates bench seating that provides students additional new space to gather and socialize.

OPRF’s curriculum goals are achieved through multiple components of Project 1, including 80 new and renovated classrooms and labs in the existing building that are designed for flexible learning with mobile furniture. The spaces also include LED lighting and appropriate technology, multiple teaching walls and finish upgrades. In renovated classrooms, vintage design elements such as arched windows and original custom casework have been retained to honor OPRF’s heritage.

Renovation of OPRF’s existing building included the addition of an ADA-compliant elevator and eight all-gender bathrooms.

FGM Architects (FGMA) and Pepper Construction (PC) have a long history of working together on complex building projects. This provided a strong foundation for effective communication and collaboration throughout the construction process, which took place in phases beginning in the summer of 2020.

Because a key goal of IMAGINE OPRF is strengthening equity, strong representation of minority and women-owned trades businesses in Project 1 construction was important to school leaders. FGMA and PC collaborated on a robust outreach effort to create a level playing field for all interested contractors. In total, 44 contractors (primes and subs) were involved in construction through contracts awarded in seven separate bid packages. PC exceeded the District’s goal of engaging at least 15% Minority Owned Enterprises and 5% Women Owned Enterprises.

Key elements of Project 1 presented unique challenges. OPRF is located on a constrained site in a densely populated urban neighborhood. The 3-story addition replaced a single-story cafeteria that was demolished. Because the addition was surrounded on three sides by the existing school, construction involved excavating down one floor to create a new basement and then constructing the remaining three floors above ground.

Tying the addition to the existing school required multiple earth retention tactics. PC used a combination of piling and shoring strategies that were executed in carefully planned, incremental steps. For example, the excavator and concrete pourer worked in tandem to build the foundation; the excavator dug 20’, concrete was poured, 20 additional feet were dug, concrete was poured, and so on. This process, while slow, ensured that the existing building was structurally secure while the addition was lined up and tied to it.

As the addition was built, a temporary enclosure was constructed and served as an exterior wall to protect the existing structure and building occupants from inclement weather and winter cold during the ensuing months.

Early in the construction process, high-voltage underground transmission lines that had not been identified on the original survey were discovered adjacent to the new addition construction site. As these lines could not be moved or removed, FGMA and PC worked together to redesign the entire footing and foundation system of the west elevation to both protect and avoid the active transmission lines.

PC has an in-house quality team that works closely with architects and PC project teams to review designs and every aspect of construction plans. Pre-installation meetings were held with each contractor to review product specifications and system installation processes. FGMA and PC project teams conducted weekly visits to monitor progress and problem-solve issues as they arose.

PC’s in-house safety team worked with FGMA project managers to put together a safety plan for each component of construction. Throughout the construction process, safety team members conducted weekly safety audits by walking the construction site, documenting any issues and preparing a tailored plan for any component of the construction process that raised concerns. Throughout the construction of Project 1, there were no recordable safety incidents or accidents.

OPRF, the only school in Oak Park and River Forest District 200, serves approximately 3,400 students from Oak Park and neighboring River Forest. This student community is a mirror of today’s society in terms of race/ethnicity, ability, gender identity and socio-economic differences.

The IMAGINE master plan incorporates evidence-based research as well as input from local citizens, school leaders, faculty, staff, students and parents. The inclusive planning process achieved consensus that, by investing in the transformation of an iconic facility, the community’s goal of educating its youth would be realized. By bringing critical resources and gathering spaces to the center of the building, making them available beyond the school day, improving ADA compliance and providing all-gender restrooms, FGMA’s design brings to life IMAGINE OPRF’s vision of expanded equity.

The success of Project 1 has benefited both the OPRF and larger community in a myriad of ways. Shortly after its completion, a local citizen who participated in the planning process wrote that, “This first phase of a long-term capital improvement effort was a test for OPRF…. Would the new spaces support instruction, equity, current and future student needs – and be worthy of our community? We now know the answers: Yes, yes and yes.” Tim Brandhorst, Wednesday Journal of Oak Park & River Forest

Faculty and staff report that the transformed spaces have inspired students’ sense of ownership, independence and motivation.

Project 1 of IMAGINE OPRF includes elements that honor the school’s historic past while celebrating the present and future. The Welcome Center and Student Commons spaces integrate historic elements of the original school with modern features to create an inviting, open communal environment.

The Student Commons prominently features a massive stone artifact known as the “Book of Learning” Originally located above OPRF’s main entrance, it was removed during a 1960s renovation and languished in a basement storage area. Today, it is reassembled as an iconic display and powerful reminder of the district’s history as well as the lasting value of learning. The Commons also includes a “Tradition of Excellence” display honoring distinguished OPRF alumni, including Ernest Hemingway.

While honoring its past, IMAGINE recognizes future needs with sustainable features incorporated in new and renovated spaces. OPRF’s 3-story addition features a metal panel and glass wall, which provides full-height, high-performance solar control Solarban 70 glazing on each floor that pulls expansive natural light into the building. The addition’s roof is structurally designed (including the electrical infrastructure) to accommodate a future PV array system that is “plug and go” ready. The new South Cafeteria incorporates custom refuse stations that separate liquids, compost, landfill and recyclable items, which supports OPRF’s larger sustainability initiatives.

Today, OPRF is a safe, secure and welcoming presence in its residential setting. Prior to renovation, the OPRF entrance and lobby were dark, deeply recessed and uninviting. Today, the school’s entrance offers a robust, friendly sense of place while still ensuring the safety and security of the OPRF community.

The 3-story addition, with its glass-enclosed exterior, looks over the open space of the pedestrian mall and OPRF’s athletic fields and into the adjacent residential neighborhood, providing a rare opportunity for visual connection with nature in an urban environment.

The success of Project 1 has fueled the ongoing implementation of IMAGINE OPRF. In April 2023, the OPRF Board of Education unanimously approved a $102 million budget for Project 2, now underway. Designed by FGMA, Project 2 will result in an all-new wing for physical education (replacing the southeast corner of the existing building) with a new competition-sized pool and spectator balcony; multi-use gyms and facilities for OPRF’s performing arts program. Project 3 is on the horizon.

For decades, A.E.R.O. Special Education Cooperative operated from an undersized facility. A nomadic and costly operations scheme had the organization frequently moving in and out of up to 15 rented classrooms at schools within the region.

The organization resolved to build a new flagship facility that would consolidate all programs at one location. The facility would have to meet the needs of its unique population, eliminate overcrowding, and improve efficiency.

The resulting A.E.R.O. Therapeutic Center is designed for students with special needs and for the teachers who help them thrive. The 150,000-square-foot facility, constructed with no days lost or injuries, brings all 420 students and 375 employees (550 students and 400 employees max) under one roof in a central location. It also creates a safe, nurturing environment with connections to daylight and nature for students with cognitive/physical disabilities and behavioral/emotional diversities.

A core team of administrators, superintendents from the 11 member districts, and the design/construction team met monthly throughout planning and design. Additionally, more than 20 focus group meetings gathered staff input. The design responds to several key objectives identified during these sessions:

Create a Calming Environment for Neuroatypical Students
• Six entrances support efficient movement of a neurodiverse population.
• Classroom wings are rotated 10 degrees to make the building appear smaller and therefore less intimidating.
• Each wing has unique color, texture, and graphic treatments to create a sense of community and support wayfinding.
• A variety of features reduce stressful transitions. Examples include rounded corners to follow along, strategically placed lighting, and a calming color palette.
• Spaces such as in-classroom retreat zones, quiet rooms, sensory rooms, and “stair pockets” allow students to safely separate from their peers.
• A centralized gymnasium subdivides into quadrants, each of which has its own entrance and stair. This allows student groups to move in and out with minimal distraction.

Develop Specialized Classrooms
• Three classroom types respond to different special needs and provide room for specialized furniture and equipment.
• Every classroom includes therapy swing infrastructure. Six classrooms offer ceiling-mounted track and patient lift systems for assisting students with mobility issues.
• Teachers have access to shared group rooms between classrooms for pull-out intervention.
• Classroom entrances have curved corners, lower soffits, and a natural wood palette to smooth transitions.

Promote Connections to Nature
• Biophilic examples range from the clerestory windows that draw natural light into the offices to the tactile wall panels at classroom wing entrances. Even the flooring is inspired by natural textures.
• The building surrounds and displays two internal courtyards, each designed to support students in an enclosed outdoor environment.
• The back of the facility offers two secure outdoor play areas which are age/ability appropriate.

Support Holistic Student Development
• Each wing has a core area with offices for key staff such as therapists and nurses as well as workrooms and storage.
• Home Life Skills and Commercial Life Skills rooms support daily living and job skills training.
• The diagnostics room resembles a living room with a kitchen. Adults sit at the “kitchen table” and observe how children behave and interact in a non-threatening environment.

Precast Concrete: Quiet, Cost-Effective, and Distinctive
The A.E.R.O. campus’s location near Chicago Midway Airport and a major railyard posed a challenge: the facility needed to dampen the rumble of aircraft and the screech of train brakes … critical for a population that is particularly sensitive to sound and vibrations.

The answer came in the tilt-up precast concrete panels that form the school’s exterior. The inherent mass of concrete absorbs noise and vibrations. Additionally, this material accelerated construction and reduced costs.

The team did not want the facility to look like the typical precast concrete warehouse. When they discovered most precast options had the same buff-colored appearance, IHC and Legat worked with the manufacturer to add to the aggregate black speckles that distinguish the concrete. Also, differing window sizes and copper window treatments break up the monotony of the precast.

Steel Scarcity Pivot
The COVID-19 shutdown happened just before construction of the A.E.R.O. facility started. Two major online retailers started snatching up all the metal to build their massive warehouses. This caused the demand for steel bar joists to skyrocket.

The team changed the facility’s structural system from steel to concrete planks. This pivot not only allowed the project to meet the original schedule and budget, but it also further mitigated sound transmission between floors.

Dual-Purpose Gym Protects Students
IHC built the centrally located gymnasium to double as a tornado shelter that closes off from the rest of the facility. The second-floor exercise room, which is part of the shelter, would protect students who were unable to get to the first floor in time.

There were no days lost on this project. Safety was a fundamental element of the construction scheduling. The large building footprint required a phasing rotation of work through the west, east, and central building areas to set precast panels, pour floors, install finishes, etc. This phasing rotation allowed multiple trades to safely work in different areas of the building at the same time to accelerate construction.

One example is the installation of the curved precast concrete benches in the interior courtyards. The benches were set in the courtyards while finishes were installing on the building interior. Area restrictions were also used to ensure the path of travel for the benches from receiving to interior courtyards was kept clear to prevent conflicts with other trades.

A.E.R.O. Therapeutic Center has transformed the landscape of special education in the Midwest and set a new benchmark for inclusive and accessible design. By consolidating previously scattered programs into a centralized, 150,000-square-foot facility, the project unites 420 special needs students (with capacity for 550) from 11 underserved Chicago-area school districts.

The design embraces neurodiversity with details that reduce stress and foster independence. Features like rounded corners, calming color palettes, and strategically placed lighting ease transitions for students. In-classroom quiet zones, sensory rooms, and stair pockets offer safe spaces for self-regulation. Each classroom includes therapy swing infrastructure, and several feature ceiling-mounted track and lift systems to support students with mobility challenges

The facility also supports A.E.R.O.’s life skills development program. Spaces such as the Home Life Skills and Commercial Life Skills rooms enable students to gain independence through hands-on training in daily tasks and workplace preparation.

Extensive stakeholder engagement guided the design process. Monthly meetings with superintendents from member districts and over 20 staff focus groups ensured the facility met the diverse needs of its users. This collaborative approach not only addressed immediate educational goals but also incorporated biophilic elements like internal courtyards and nature-inspired interiors to enhance community well-being.

“A.E.R.O. Therapeutic Center is a game-changer for special education facilities throughout the Midwest and beyond. For the first time, we have a building designed specifically to meet the complex needs of our students and staff. The flexible classrooms, sensory-friendly environments, and enhanced safety features allow our team to provide personalized care and innovative programs that weren’t possible in the old facility. This center truly reflects our commitment to creating an inclusive, empowering space where everyone can thrive.” – Dr. Dan Riordan, Executive Board President. A.E.R.O. Special Education Cooperative

A Flagship Facility for Special Needs Students
A.E.R.O. Therapeutic Center supports the special education students (ages 3 to 22) of 11 Chicago-area school districts, many of which cater to underserved communities. Consequently, a key goal for the facility was to enrich the educational experience of A.E.R.O.’s population of differently abled and behaviorally challenged students.

The design and construction team took two key steps to achieve this goal:
• Consistently met with not only A.E.R.O. administrators and staff but also with leaders of each of the 11 member districts
• Prior to design, conducted extensive research into the specific needs of neurodiverse students

The facility’s lower level houses severely disabled students in one wing and students with varying degrees of disability in the other three. Two wings on the second floor accommodate the P.R.I.D.E. program for students with behavioral disorders. The remainder of the second floor hosts high school and post-high school students enrolled in A.E.R.O. programs dedicated to building critical academic and life skills.

Designed for Neurodiversity
The focus on inclusion and accessibility is apparent the moment one passes through the main entry. Unlike the typical new school designed for neurotypical students, the atrium is not a massive space, and there are no vibrant colors. Beneath the staircase, a nook welcomes students who might want to retreat yet still feel part of the atrium activity. Halfway up the stairs, a subtle birch tree wall graphic creates a connection to nature without becoming disruptive or intimidating.

The design’s focus on advancing A.E.R.O.’s program while respecting the budget appears in everything from the textured wayfinding walls to the layout that places specialists at the building’s core to be as close as possible to students. The building surrounds two internal courtyards, each designed to support the therapeutic needs of students in a safe, enclosed outdoor environment.

A variety of features reduce stressful transitions. Examples include human-scaled canopies, rounded corners to follow along, strategically placed lighting, and a calming color palette. Spaces such as in-classroom quiet areas, sensory rooms, and stair pockets allow students to safely separate from their peers.

The classrooms, nearly twice the size of previous A.E.R.O. classrooms, not only offer much more instructional space but also provide more room for the specialized equipment needed by many of the students.

During planning, administrators shared concerns that the new school’s large size could distress some A.E.R.O. students. One of the many ways the design responds is by rotating classroom wings 10 degrees. This not only lowers costs by reducing square footage but also makes the building appear much smaller.

Independence and Employment
Because A.E.R.O. manages students through age 22, the center also offers spaces where older students can learn daily living and job skills:

• The Home Life Skills room is a simulated apartment including a living room, dinette, kitchen, laundry nook, bedroom, and washer/dryer nook.
• In the Commercial Life Skills training room, students learn everything from folding silverware and dishwashing to food preparation. It offers ovens, countertops, work surfaces, and a commercial washing machine.
• A dedicated laundry room on the first floor has a commercial-grade washer and dryer for multiple daily loads and skills training.
• The second floor houses foyers/waiting rooms and staff offices for A.E.R.O.’s Connect program, which helps students who have completed the high school program to transition into the community and find employment.

New Trier High School’s East Side Academic and Athletic Project gives students, faculty and the surrounding community an expanded environment to boost engagement and improve outcomes. We replaced and renovated century-old facilities, seamlessly integrating a state-of-the-art three-story building into existing structures to enhance security and accessibility, centralize office space and add 12 new classrooms. The fieldhouse and fitness center include a six-lane indoor track, competition and auxiliary gyms, climbing walls, a high ropes course, skylit atrium, cafeteria and school spirit shop. The multi-purpose addition connects to adjacent historic architecture and repurposes original interiors to preserve heritage and conserve resources. We proactively identified and addressed site constraints to successfully complete demolition and construction in two years, above, below and around active space within the existing footprint, while maintaining safe, uninterrupted facilities operation.

Looking back and innovating forward
“Looking back and innovating forward” was a design mantra driving both the traditional exterior expression and the modern interior educational environment created by the project. These themes were instrumental in launching the next chapter for this storied high school.

The new addition, completed for the Fall 2023 academic year, was conceived as a complement to the West Academic Addition that Pepper Construction and Wight & Company completed in 2017. Both projects bookend the existing historic core building, which dates from 1934. The school and surrounding communities requested that the exterior aesthetic of the new construction reflect the image and materiality of the historic context. Red brick masonry with terra cotta detailing was intentionally selected for the newly completed addition to match masonry used on the West project. The overall impression is a unified campus prioritizing historic precedent and celebrating traditional masonry craftsmanship.

Beneath this historic masonry facade lies a thoroughly modern educational program, revealed with welcoming glass entrance towers. The school’s new main entrance is now on the north façade, reversing the original south entrance to provide ample visitor parking, bus drop-off capability and effective security screening.

Design elements that celebrate the legacy of the school’s 1928 Gates Gymnasium include a barrel-vaulted roof with bowstring trusses and a continuous clerestory ribbon. Similarly, burnished masonry wall surfaces reminiscent of the historic original finishes enclose both the new gym and the skylit Canyon atrium. Portions of the original wood gym floor now frame the façade of the student café, while wood bleachers from the original seating gallery now clad the spectator steps in the new fieldhouse. Carrying forward school pride and legacy, the primary New Trier logo removed from the old structure was inlaid in the main entry floor of the new athletic office space.

Considering design and constructability together
Consistent attention to design and constructability informed the design process. The complex structural design included new construction sandwiched between and tied into existing infrastructure that required connecting different foundations and four separate floors, building in and adjacent to multiple occupied spaces, and building above, below and around original structural elements, such as an active second-floor locker room.
We integrated forward-looking workflows into design reviews starting with deep-dive analysis of design models to assess needs and goals, followed by thorough scrutiny of existing conditions through onsite underground utility investigations, laser scanning and demolition investigation within existing facades to ensure accuracy in aligning floor elevations. Living mockups created in a staging lot worked to achieve accurate matches for exterior brick. The project maintained parking and a design aesthetic consistent with the overall campus.

The 110-foot-long three-story skylit Canyon circulation atrium was comprised of glass panels set by hand with specialized gantry equipment; each panel weighed 400-500 lbs. The underground location of the fieldhouse required 28-foot foundation walls with 18-foot clearance below 10-foot trusses. Steel erection included two types of trusses: 10-foot trusses spanning 170 feet for the fieldhouse, delivered in 6 to 8 separate pieces and built on site, and 10- to 13-foot curved trusses for the barrel roof delivered on site in 27 different semi-trailer trucks. We built engineer-approved ramps to allow a million-ton Manitowoc 777 counterweight crane to set steel on site.

Teaching healthy choices
The new addition offers every New Trier student the opportunity to engage in Kinetic Wellness classes and benefit from academic spaces designed to promote inclusivity and wellbeing. The enhanced activity space also invites thousands of student-athletes in New Trier’s Athletics program to strengthen physical and mental fitness and allows members of the community to improve personal and professional skills through year-round New Trier Extension classes. In addition to improved maintenance and energy efficiency, here are several highlights of the new multi-purpose gym:
• A flexible, welcoming, and ADA-accessible space
• 1,900-capacity competition gym
• Auxiliary gyms
• Two-level fitness center
• Climbing walls
• Six-lane, 160-meter track
• Unified and expanded weight and conditioning facilities
• Two welcoming, accessible and secure entrances for students and visitors
• Enhanced student supervision
• Building isolation and fire sprinklers, with streamlined connections to the broader campus

The expanded space inspires casual student interaction with social hubs created on all floors that invite small group collaboration and independent study. Four new health classrooms and 12 technology-enhanced general education classrooms available to all academic programs augment instructional needs. Each teaching space leverages the power of flexibility to serve various learning styles and accommodate independent work, group projects or lectures.

Organized along the skylit Canyon atrium, activity spaces replace an outdated teaching paradigm with an inclusive environment infused with natural light that transforms the student experience. Students and the broader community can view activities in all large venues, including the competition gym, fitness center and climbing wall, from the atrium. Enhanced offerings for all skill levels and easy visibility of physical conditioning, athletic training and recreational wellness has increased participation in elective program offerings. The chance for the greater community to openly view students engaged in activities that build camaraderie fosters a stronger sense of school and community pride.
A new café in the second-floor Canyon space provides students with healthy choices and serves as an alternative to the main cafeteria. Visitors also benefit from refreshments available at the café during evening and weekend athletic competitions, the proceeds of which support team booster clubs. Visitors and students alike can also find ways to promote a vibrant community by visiting the adjacent school-spirit shop.

The team cultivated higher quality outcomes across project components, including the following:

Demolition of 1928 Gates Gymnasium
Knowing that quality extends beyond the physical structure, the team paid careful attention to timing the start of demolition while the campus was less active during winter break 2021. With existing space in use above and below the full demolition, which continued on the active campus throughout the winter months, careful attention was also given to ensure protection from weather elements with waterproofing of the third-floor slab.

Similarly, construction was effectively completed above, below and around the second-floor locker room housed within the existing footprint and actively in use. Utilizing innovative remote-controlled robot demolition technology, the team ensured superior quality-controlled demolition of the 80-foot smokestack in restricted space and while school was actively in session. The team also created clearly marked designated safety zones to reduce risks to spectators who gathered from the surrounding community.

Culture of communication
The culture of communication the team established allowed key stakeholders to share knowledge and stay accurately informed on critical factors, optimizing efficiency in conducting investigative surveys, scans, point clouds and other High Performance inspections and providing precision detailed snapshots of spatial conditions. This informed the team’s ability to safely and successfully tie two sides of the new addition, including four separate floors, into existing structures that were continuously occupied.

With constructability a component of planning in all phases, the team further ensured any issues could be identified and resolved without costly delays and rework. This included conducting demolition investigation within existing facades to secure accurate alignment of varied floor elevations and engineering proper egress, as well as installing temporary partitions with doors to create safe access and pathways for project members and the school community. Together with Pepper’s high-performance expertise assisting the design of additional intricate conditions, this approach ensured that the final structure fully aligns with the client’s goals and aesthetic expectations.

Foundation
The New Trier High School campus is located in a residential neighborhood, which posed challenges for demolition and construction. Many residents and younger students walk to and from homes, schools and the train station around campus. The new multipurpose facility is located within the boundaries of Essex Road and Trevian Way – two primary neighborhood commuter routes. Earth retention work completed three blocks from Lake Michigan at a 25-foot depth was adjacent to Essex Road, the main access route for student pick-up and drop-off.

The team successfully navigated complex logistics in this tight site, including persistent water pumping, ground shoring for adjacent structures to ensure the existing building was tied into along the C-line, utilizing multiple cranes for hoisting and setting, and orchestrating onsite steel erection for the below-ground fieldhouse with foundations holding up clear span steel for the 28-foot height and 18-foot clearance requirement. The confined site dimensions required the fitness center, competition and auxiliary gyms to be stacked on top of the column-free fieldhouse. Deep structural trusses were used to carry these venues as a bridge above the fieldhouse.

Minimizing disruptions
To improve quality for the project and lessen any negative impact on the community, the team minimized disruptions so students, faculty, staff and residents could carry on with their lives and work while construction stayed on schedule. To safely minimize traffic impacts, the team secured assistance from local law enforcement and engaged with community leaders from the project start. Team members attended village meetings to understand community needs and keep them informed as work progressed.

Steel erection
In addition to securing an alternate cost-effective high-quality grade of steel under challenging market conditions, the team ensured the structure’s stability and integrity with a systematic approach adhering to safety protocols. Steel erection was completed onsite to minimize risks to project outcomes and individual safety with precision detail in orchestrating logistics that included delivery of 10-foot trusses spanning 170 feet for the fieldhouse in 6 to 8 separate pieces, and 10- to 13-foot curved trusses for the barrel roof in 27 different semi-trailer trucks, as well as building engineer-approved ramps to allow a million-ton Manitowoc 777 counterweight crane to set steel on site. Safety was a top priority and the process was intentionally timed for periods of minimal activity on campus.

Sustainability
The new addition makes use of both indoor variable/constant air volume units with heating, cooling coils and energy recovery, as well as outdoor rooftop units with DX cooling and gas heating. The building also makes considerable efficiency gains by utilizing the campus’ central plant for DHW, hot and chilled water, resulting in over 20% energy cost savings. A 40% water reduction was also achieved.

The project reduced its embodied carbon impact by reusing 26.8% of its structural, enclosure, and interior elements. Other sustainable materials highlights include 37.4% responsible sourcing of raw materials, multi-attribute optimization of EPDs, and material ingredient optimization. Ten waste streams representing 98.8% of generated construction waste were diverted from landfill.

A focus on wellness is apparent through thoughtful daylighting, advanced lighting controls, acoustic performance, low-emitting materials and post-occupancy air quality testing.

Interior and exterior elements
The team’s prioritization of quality extended to finer details of aligning interior and exterior elements with the client and community vision to “look back and innovate forward.” Wood from the 1928 Gates Gymnasium floor now surrounds the new café and concessions area, while original bleachers provide seating in the new fieldhouse. Two precast monuments and full exterior limestone piece that once adorned the original gymnasium now enrich the new athletic office space. A center-court school logo retrieved from the gymnasium floor was also inlaid into the entry floor of the new athletic office. The school community and visitors can view a back-lit New Trier logo through the clearstory windows that wrap the new atrium and support school spirit, while administrators can keep athletics honest and exciting with a new owner-controlled instant replay screen.

Exterior elements, likewise, carry historical connections and innovation forward. The team ensured continuity in masonry craftsmanship and style through a staging lot that shared a living mockup. High-level artistry is evident in the structural glass of the 110-foot-long three-story skylit Canyon circulation atrium. Each of the glass panels used weighs 400-500 lbs. and were set by hand with specialized gantry equipment. The community enjoys abundant natural light with clerestory arched windows on elevations and clerestory windows wrapping the modern gymnasium, rock-climbing area and main entrance.

The design and construction of New Trier High School’s East Academic and Athletic Addition seamlessly ties generations together with precision detail that captures the project vision and serves the community needs. The contemporary functionality meets modern needs while preserving historical integrity that fosters a sense of continuity. Through this building, students, faculty, staff and the community can feel connected to Trevian heritage and supported in forging new paths.

The project was located three blocks from Lake Michigan, alongside active roadways that serve as main routes for commuters, as well as student, faculty and staff access to campus. Consistent, timely, transparent communication with school, village and law enforcement officials kept stakeholders up to date with accurate information and enhanced the coordination of pedestrian and vehicle traffic for safety and efficiency.

Additional safety measures implemented to protect communities on and off campus included the following:
• Robotic aerial demolition of the 80-foot smokestack
• Clearly defined hazard and safety zones, as well as means of egress
• Shoring and catch decks, allowing safe passage within and secure exit from campus.

Full athletic, Kinetic Wellness and academic programs continued operations uninterrupted during the two-year project period, including community programs hosted during the summer months.

The project engaged two interns from New Trier, who began their internships during the summer and continued through the academic year. The Pepper team took a mentoring approach, introducing them to careers in construction while providing a little life advice along the way. Daily tasks included helping with punch lists, taking project photos and walking the sites. As part of construction and architecture courses, students took tours of the areas under construction. Students and instructors of digital photography class were also able to walk the site and take photos and video that they used for projects.

Maintaining ongoing involvement of the community that is emotionally invested in keeping traditions alive and future vitality strong for this storied institution, the East Side Academic and Athletic Addition has brought people together, created a sense of pride and inspired further investment. Alumni are re-engaging with their alma mater by attending athletic competitions, parents of current students are drawn in to further support their children’s journeys through this exciting time of development and younger siblings are curious about their potential future educational opportunities. The completed structure signals a renewed welcome, inviting people from within and beyond the community to share the positive momentum and join in promoting connection and growth.

The Chicago Jesuit Academy Renovation and Expansion project is a 50,000-square-foot addition that enables the school to welcome girls to attend the formerly all-boys academy. Built by Walsh Construction and designed by SCB, the addition complements the existing historic structure and is connected through a new double-height, steel-framed, glass entrance and lobby. Inside, 16 new classrooms surround a support core of smaller rooms for one-on-one instruction and office space for social workers. Spaces for co-curricular activities, including a robotics lab, art studio, and a large multi-purpose room, allow for experiential learning opportunities. Offices for the school’s college persistence program are co-located with a new alumni lounge. A new suite for the school’s principal and staff leadership is located on the ground floor. The development and construction teams committed to putting safety first and foremost resulting in zero injuries during the construction of the new expansion.

SCB was very intentional about the design of the CJA; with a long history of working with the school and their dedicated staff, the design team knew the strength of the school’s bond to the community it serves. This space needed to be a backdrop for that community, authentically representing the legacy of the institution in the neighborhood while also looking forward to its continued impact. The SCB team met with parents of current and prospective students and workshopped how the spaces should feel, what colors and textures should be celebrated, and, equally important, what should be avoided. SCB presented the parent group with the principles of trauma-informed design and facilitated an open discussion on how these could be integrated in a meaningful way.

The outcome of this process allowed the design team to create an environment that holistically supports student success. Large windows in all classrooms and a series of skylights and floor openings infuse the learning spaces and core of the building with daylight, helping to connect students to the natural world around them.

Mediating between the existing 1900’s building and the addition is a new main entrance and lobby, a double-height space that serves as a portal between the neighborhood and the secure campus within. The architectural expression of the new addition is composed of brick and stone, referencing the materiality of the school’s existing historic structure. A rhythm of strong vertical brick piers gives the building a feeling of solidity and permanence, reflecting CJA’s role as an institutional anchor in the community.

Seeking to create softer and more nurturing educational spaces, nature-inspired finishes such as stone and wood, and cool, calming colors such as greens and blues are used throughout. Commissioned and student art are prominently featured in the building, celebrating the school’s students and mission while creating a positive environment for learning.

Walsh Construction has strong foundational quality control values that were represented at the Chicago Jesuit Academy Renovation and Expansion project throughout the construction process. Walsh is committed to delivering the highest standard of work and takes pride in quality work. Dan Walsh of Walsh Construction was quoted, “Quality is the only legacy we leave behind to our customers.” Walsh utilized its quality program centered around a Three Phases of Control Plan to implement the work, communicate the plan and work the plan. Walsh dedicates themselves to embracing a culture of open communication and promoting quality in all areas of work starting with all individuals on the jobsite on day one. Crews also participated in Walsh’s Quality Week, a time for the project teams to further train, educate, celebrate and reinforce quality culture. Moreover, this job had a state-of-the-art energy efficient mechanical system which we began designing and coordinating using the Building Information Modeling (BIM) Process as soon as the award was made. This was critical in keeping the overall open feel to the building design and integrating the old building to the new building. While constructing the new campus addition, the current school was in session. This meant keeping disruptions to a minimum and organizing potentially distracting activities outside of school hours. This became particularly difficult when we connected to the existing building and renovated some of the existing building facilities. As a result, the project teams built temporary soundproof walls on the inside of the existing building to eliminate dust and mitigate the noise level. Additionally, the teams did their noisier work during off school hours while the school was in summer session.

Safety at Chicago Jesuit Academy was led by Walsh Construction’s senior safety leadership team. Through Walsh’s Core Safety Program, the leadership teams’ dedication to achieving safety excellence relies on their Actively Caring Culture, encouraging the workforce to speak up about safety items. From day one, Walsh implements training and planning designed to equip their workforce with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage and uphold safety systems and processes while being able to identify potential hazards and risks on the job site. Each morning, the workforce teams participated in a stretch and flex where safety personnel and the superintendents could collectively review the day’s scheduled activities while preparing their bodies for the day ahead. This activity encouraged the staff members to get to know the field team while evaluating their daily agenda together. In addition to daily activities, the project also participated in “Safety Week,” which further emphasized the ultimate goal of No One Gets Hurt and engaged our work forces, proactively discussed safety as a core value, demonstrated best practices from across the industry, while focusing on the wellbeing and mental health of our team members. Through all these initiatives and precautions taken, Walsh self-performed over 20,000-man workhours with zero injuries

The campus addition reinforces CJA’s position as an educational anchor in the community. By increasing the school’s capacity to 400 students, including their ability to enroll girls, the project expands on the foundational culture of their program, ensuring a lasting, positive impact on future generations. The academy draws its students from families impacted by historic disinvestment in the surrounding neighborhoods and offers students free tuition. In addition to involving the community in the design process, the construction team also participated in efforts to promote inclusion and community involvement and brought on three pre-apprentices through the Walsh Pre-Apprenticeship Program that were local to the area and Chicago Jesuit Academy graduates. Walsh also hired local Section 3 construction workers from the Austin area to work on the Walsh team full-time as union workers. It was very crucial to Chicago Jesuit Academy that the students saw a diverse workforce building this important project. Walsh hired 30% minority-owned businesses and also hired 6% women-owned business.

The Chicago Jesuit Academy Expansion and Renovation project was able to expand and modernize the campus to extend educational opportunities for female students. Each firm involved worked together to deliver the expansion and focus on their core mission for the Chicago Jesuit Academy and how to give all the students the gift of learning and the best environment to learn in.

The Chicago Jesuit Academy does not charge tuition for students and is for students and families from these resilient communities that have been impacted by historical disinvestment. With the new expansions added, including alumni support and counseling offices, these additions will help further support students and families beyond graduation by providing them with assistance when transitioning into the next chapters of their lives. Additionally, the new classrooms spaces are designed to enhance new educational learning opportunities for students by creating spaces for special education sessions and social workers. Along with additions dedicated to after-school activities and academic clubs including a robotics lab, art studio and multi-purpose room, these allow the students to improve their social skills and promote social and cognitive development while improving their academic performance and finding a hobby they enjoy.

The project team participated in various efforts to encourage community and inclusion initiatives to have a strong impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. The Walsh Pre-Apprenticeship Program allowed the project team to bring three pre-apprentices to the jobsite that were local to the area and graduates from the Chicago Jesuit Academy. Through the Pre-Apprenticeship Program, these individuals were given the opportunity to gain industry-based exposure and preparation to start a career in the construction trades. This program allowed these workers to partner with subcontractors on the site to provide exposure to the construction trades with the goal of sponsoring successful pre-apprentices into a trade union. The individuals observed the various construction activities on site to further explore their job interests. In addition, Walsh hired Section 3 construction workers who were also local to the Austin neighborhood to work on the Walsh project team as full-time union workers. Walsh also hired 30% of minority-owned businesses, which included 10% that were African American-owned, and collaborated with 6% women-owned businesses. Walsh aimed to support the Chicago Jesuit Academy’s request by ensuring that students would encounter a diverse workforce as they passed by the project each day into the school.