After Hilldale passed a school bond, they looked for a Tulsa Commercial Contractor to be a construction manager on their new projects. There were six projects on two campuses that they needed to complete. The projects were separated into District Service Center and Elementary Cafeteria Remodel, The Hilldale All Sports Fieldhouse and Softball/Baseball Locker room addition, Hilldale Elementary Classroom Addition and New Gymnasium, the Hilldale Parking lot drainage system, Old High School Gymnasium Remodel, and High School/Middle School Parking Lot Resurfacing.
The Architect, Boynton-Williams and Associates (no relations), also know as BWA, would have preferred to use a general contractor from a list of Tulsa Commercial Contractor, but when superintendent of Hilldale Independent School District, Dr. Coody, looked at the list of Tulsa Commercial Contractor, she decided to stay with original plan of hiring a construction manager to help with not only the construction part of the bond issue, but to also help with the budgeting part of the bond issue, or project. Williams Contracting was selected from the list of Tulsa Commercial Contractor.
The projects that were considered the most time sensitive were put at the forefront. Once the construction management contracts were worked out and the priority of the projects was decided, the projects had to be advertised to find bidders. The District Service Center and Elementary Cafeteria Remodel was the first project to be selected for construction. There was a sense of urgency in this project because the District Service Center was to hold the enrollment center. The enrollment center had to be opened in time for the parents to enroll their children at Hilldale for the entire independent school district. The enrollment period for the school district began the first of July.
The school would need a couple of weeks to get their items moved into the building, so the project would need to be completed in the middle of the June. The solicitation for the project had to go out immediately to allow the three-week process that must be given before the bid opening can be held. The scope of works had to be written to ensure all the items were accounted for in the bids but keep the work trade specific. If there items not accounted for in the scope of work, it would mean that the construction manager has to get that work completed.
The bids were opened, and certain trades were selected and because of the time constraints were ordered to start working immediately. The project was started in December and had to be completed in by the middle of June. The District Service Center would serve as the central hub for all the parents of the children who attend Hilldale Independent School District and would be the first impression that parents would get, so it was of the utmost importance that this building give a good impression. The impression shouldn’t be one of opulence but one of professionalism and efficiency.
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The owner of Williams Contracting also attended to Hilldale and as a matter of pride wanted the building to be done excellently and timely. The Hilldale Independent School District, in particular Dr. Coody, knew that choosing Williams Contracting instead of any other Tulsa Commercial Contractor would guarantee a level of satisfaction because of the ties to the school and the pressure to do a good job and offer the best deal that the community would place on Williams.
Both parts of the District Service Center and the Elementary Cafeteria Remodel involved remodeling. The District Service Center was to be in what used to be a church that was in very close proximity to the existing Hilldale Elementary campus. I would describe the church as setting in the parking lot of the exist Hilldale Elementary campus. The sanctuary of the church would become the board room for the Hilldale School Board to hold their regular meeting. The front foyer of the church would become the actual enrollment center and one of the secure entrances of the District Service Center.
The Sunday School rooms would become the offices for the districts’ superintendent and assistant superintendent and their staff. The kitchen area would remain a kitchen but be remodeled. The roof was being changed from a shingle roof to metal roof. Demolition was started in what used to be the church first, because it would need to be complete first. The Elementary Cafeteria Remodel needed to be complete by the upcoming school year, again, with time to move their furniture and other items in the room.
The existing roof had too many layers of shingles to allow a metal roof to be placed on top, so the old shingles had to be removed before a metal roof could replace the shingle roof. The trusses for a roof are designed to carry a specific amount of weight plus accommodate wind, rain, and snow. Each layer of shingles, depending on the size of the roof, could weigh thousands of pounds. Most sloped roof designs are designed to hold two layers of shingles without removing excess shingles. The existing sanctuary ceiling was to remain but had to be preserved while demolition and new construction of other features were being done, such as a fur-down to accommodate the new mechanical equipment.
The windows were changed to aluminum framed windows. The doors were also changed to aluminum frames with sidelights to give the building a professional look. Aluminum frames are also called storefronts and are seen frequently at retail businesses. The kitchen area got all new cabinets and appliances. The entire building got all new plumbing and electrical fixtures. Most of the interior wood framing was removed and replace with metal stud framing. The new wall got gypsum board and were then painted. The flooring was replaced with vinyl tile and carpet tile. Most of the gypsum board ceilings were replaced with acoustic ceiling tile.
The Hilldale Elementary Cafeteria Remodel was at a separate building on the existing campus. The old cafeteria was turned into a concert band practice area and an art room. The stage that existed in that cafeteria was repurposed to a platform for the concert band to practice on to allow the larger brass instrument players to sit higher than the smaller woodwinds, this keeps the instruments from sounding directly in the person’s ear. There was metal framing added to this area after demolition of a wall to create a larger area. There was also mechanical equipment replaced to help with the changing of air flow that happens when walls are torn down and replaced in different areas. New finishes including flooring and paint were added to complete this project.
Williams Contracting ahead of any other Tulsa Commercial Contractor was able to save enough money on this project that Hilldale School District was able to bid-out the Hilldale Parking Lot Drainage Project. That was just one additional project that was enabled by the management of the first project for the Hilldale School District.