Project Milestone

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29 Nov

Posted at 09:22h in News, Project Milestone

It’s the holiday season, and we would like to take this opportunity recognize all of the hard work our crews and partners are doing at Swope Middle School.

“As we pass Thanksgiving and continue into the December holidays, we are thankful for our employees as well as our subcontractors and Washoe County School District partners for all they have done for the students and staff,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager for United Construction. “All of the incredible milestones we have hit thus far are a testament to the talent and dedication of the entire team.”

The two-story classroom building will go vertical this month with masonry and structural steel. This means that the shell of the building will start to become visible by the Swope community. When finished, the building will house a new resource center, math and science classrooms, a technology lab, a new teachers’ lounge and workspace, social science and language classrooms, a group room for various activities, a new library and a hub space.

In regards to the existing classrooms, mechanical, plumbing and electrical upgrades are under way. This work will continue from now through the summer of 2022.

Early morning concrete slab pours plan to be wrapped up this week. Site crews commenced pours in the morning to reduce the amount of disruptions for staff and students during school hours, as well as prevent traffic jams at peak driving times and preserve the quality of the project.

The Ambassador Program is gearing up to start soon. As a part of the program, students can expect visits from industry professionals who will speak to them about several aspects of the construction industry, including contracting, architecture, design, engineering and more.

29 Oct

Posted at 11:36h in News, Project Milestone

Site crews are making swift milestones at Swope Middle School, as students and staff begin to experience school life in the brand new facilities.

“We are excited to see the student body taking advantage of the new buildings,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager for United Construction. “From the sports games inside the gym to the concrete walls rising in the kitchen, our work is taking shape quickly, and it’s evident in all of the expansions and renovations thus far.”

Workers continue to make progress at the site of the two-story classroom building, digging out and replacing soil and completing the installation of the underground utilities. Concrete slab pours have begun and will commence in the early morning, and footings will soon be installed; both will continue throughout the season. This building will also hold the new-and-improved school library. In the interim, students are making use of a temporary library that is set up in the activity room of the new gymnasium.

Also within the gym, the new court hosted its first event towards the beginning of the month – a student basketball game. The players enjoyed the modernized basketball hoops and revamped scoreboard, while the audience cheered from the new bleacher seats.

Swope neighbors and families will be pleased to know that students will continue to learn without interruption; crews will continue using sound blankets when needed to block out major construction noise.

Coming up, students at the school will be able to learn about the construction going on right around them. As a part of a newly-created Ambassador Program, industry professionals will visit the students and speak to them all about contracting, architecture, design, engineering and more.

01 Oct

Posted at 08:46h in News, Project Milestone

This Fall will welcome swift and notable progress at Swope Middle School, as both expansions and new construction continue to go smoothly and efficiently.

“With the new season comes new milestones at Swope,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager for United Construction. “Students and staff will be excited to learn that several facilities will be ready to use in the coming weeks, including the new gym. We look forward to even more progress as Fall continues on.”

Site crews have completed excavations at the location of the new two-story classroom building. Workers continue to make progress as the underground utilities are near completion. When finished, the building will house a new resource center, math and science classrooms, a technology lab, a new teachers’ lounge and workspace, social science and language classrooms, a group room for various activities and a hub space.

The remodel and expansion of the kitchen facilities are progressing and making great headway. Additionally, the new gymnasium will be ready for games at the beginning of October, where students can enjoy the revamped basketball hoops, volleyball courts and a scoreboard. The new fitness center will also be ready to use soon.

More concrete slabs will be poured at various locations throughout the month of October. Setting of concrete masonry unit (CMU) block walls will follow directly after the pours are complete and will continue until the end of the calendar year.

27 Aug

Posted at 13:41h in News, Project Milestone

As WCSD settles into the beginnings of the 2021-2022 school year, United Construction and their subcontractors are hard at work making way for more new and remodeled classrooms and buildings at Swope Middle School.

“It is exciting to see the students and staff at Swope begin to use the new-and-improved facilities this school season,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager for United Construction. “We are all beginning to see a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ in terms of the phased construction process, and we look forward to continuing the remodels and moving forward with work on the new building wing.”

The aforementioned building wing will be a new two-story classroom building in the location of the former gymnasium, which has been completely demolished. It will house a new resource center, math and science classrooms, a technology lab, a new teachers’ lounge and workspace, social science and language classrooms, a group room for various activities and a hub space.

In the new gym, the hardwood flooring is complete. On the floor, students can enjoy the revamped basketball hoops, volleyball courts and a scoreboard. The new fitness center will be also be ready to use in the near future.

Band and choir students will soon be able to take advantage of the new music practice rooms, as site workers near completion on the remodels. Additionally, the remodel on the kitchen facilities are now underway.

Up next for the construction team are excavations, followed by the installation of underground utilities directly after excavations are complete.

05 Aug

Posted at 09:03h in News, Project Milestone, United Team

United Construction recently commenced the installation of culvert along Reactor Way at the Hamilton campus. As United and their subcontractor Sierra Nevada Construction were hired to make roadway and infrastructure improvements at Hamilton, they also began realigning the surrounding roadway along Reactor Way this week. The realignment process, which is slated to continue through the end of September, includes demolition, road grading and the use of heavy equipment.

Upon project completion of the Hamilton Reactor Way site, Waldorf School and High Sierra Industries will enjoy additional parking spaces. Hamilton will have new sidewalks, parallel parking, crosswalks and landscaping along Reactor Way.

Culvert installation photos courtesy of Jeff Dow.

02 Aug

Posted at 07:30h in News, Project Milestone

The third and final phase of United Construction’s work at Swope Middle School is in full swing. The start of this phase is marked by the demolition of old facilities and the building of the new, making room for a strong future for the students at the school.

“As we begin our last phase of construction, I reflect on all the hard work we’ve done alongside our talented subcontractors, architect partners and Washoe County School District,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager for United Construction. “We are anticipating more incredible changes as we work our way through Phase 3 and finish out the new-and-improved school.”

In mid-July, the former gymnasium was completely demolished, which can be seen captured in the photo to the left. Regarding the demolition, Gunther reports that “all went well, and we are excited to continue bringing the new gym to life.” The bleachers and center court logo have been transferred to the new gym, and the construction team is moving forward with more interior and exterior finishes.

Beyond the gym, the band room has been expanded after the successful demolition of a wall. The team is also gearing up to remove and replace the hallway carpet as well as replace a structural support in the cafeteria this summer.

Students from Swope who opted to attend summer school are doing so at Reno High School. While there, the library is being temporarily moved from its current location that will eventually become the kitchen for the cafeteria. It will be housed in the activity room of the gym until construction of the new library is complete in the two-story building.

01 Aug

Posted at 09:00h in News, Project Milestone

United Construction’s design-build work on the 10,978 sf, two-story expansion at Dassault Falcon on Rock Blvd is complete! The expansion, which sits on the Reno-Tahoe International Airport grounds, features a storage room for parts and equipment, break room, full locker rooms with bathrooms and showers, conference room, avionics work room, new stairways and a quality assurance room overlooking the main aviation work floor.

Dassault is a French based aircraft manufacturer of business and corporate jets. The United Construction design-build team also delivered the existing building used by Dassault. United delivered it in 1996 as an aircraft maintenance hangar for Reno Air.

We credit Superintendent Pete Brunner, Assistant Superintendent Justin Brunner, Project Manager Rob Felstead, Project Administrator Glady Robinette and Operations Manager Casey Gunther for managing this project to success.

 

01 Jul

Posted at 06:00h in News, Project Milestone, United Team

Summer has arrived in full force, and with it will come completion of the brand new gym at Swope Middle School as we bid the existing gym goodbye.

“The new gym taking the place of the old gym as it becomes demolished marks a significant milestone for Swope,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager for United Construction. “As our team continues to make strides towards a finished, new-and-improved school, we are thrilled to see all of our hard work come to fruition for the students.”

Finishes to the new gymnasium, including interior framing and drywall, are continuing strongly. The roof top HVAC units have been set, and the on-site construction team is powering on the system for the first time

Demolition of the existing gym will commence this month, which marks a major landmark as the school prepares for students to enjoy the new gym facilities. Additionally, site workers are preparing to demolish the library to construct the new kitchen, and they are gearing up to demolish and remodel the band and choir rooms.

Work on the interior of the existing school and installation of the Solatube daylight and ventilation systems has also begun and will continue through the following weeks.

Residents should be aware of the increased truck traffic over the next four weeks as site workers haul off material from the existing gym. We urge neighbors to exercise caution when traveling around the school. Please note: due to ongoing construction and demolition, two of the basketball courts on the west side of the school will not be available this summer.

Photo Credits: Ryland Sweigard

08 Jun

Posted at 11:15h in News, Project Milestone, United Team

Under the leadership of Superintendent Chuck Brown and Project Manager Chris Silsby, United Construction is underway with pre-construction processes along Reactor Way within the Hamilton Company campus. Hamilton hired United and their roadway subcontractor Sierra Nevada Construction to make road and infrastructure improvements at Hamilton Reactor Way, and United is currently working to finish installation of guardrails over University Drain to connect Reactor Way and provide access to Rock Blvd.

United is excavating the surrounding campus trench this week. During this time, heavy equipment will be loaded onsite. Business neighbors should exercise appropriate cautions and stay aware of lane closures and flaggers.

Upon project completion, Waldorf School and High Sierra Industries will enjoy additional parking spaces, while Hamilton Reactor Way will have new sidewalks, parallel parking, crosswalks and landscaping.

01 Jun

Posted at 09:26h in News, Project Milestone, United Team

As the 2020-2021 school year at Swope Middle School approaches its end, exterior work on the roofing and interior work on school facilities continues full steam ahead.

“This summer will be a busy time for construction at the school,” said Casey Gunther, Operations Manager at United Construction. “With finishes to the new gymnasium and roofs starting to take shape, we are poised to move forward with Phase 3 of the project: demolition, new classroom construction and existing facility remodel. I am honored to work alongside my United colleagues and our Washoe County School District, architectural, safety and engineering partners as we hit major milestones on the schoolgrounds.”

Interior framing in the new gymnasium has begun, and drywall will be installed in the coming weeks along with finishes to the basketball hoops, bleachers, wood flooring, paint and lockers. Consequently, demolition of the existing gym will take place in mid-to-late June. Site workers are also preparing to demolish the library to make room for the new kitchen as well as demolish and remodel the band/choir rooms. Outside, neighborhood residents can enjoy the metal canopy close to completion.

Completion of the PVC Membrane Roofing system over the gym marks a significant project landmark. The roof supports four HVAC units (two in the locker rooms and two in the fitness room) that will heat and cool the building. Skylights will also be installed that will amplify natural light into the entire area, which is “a welcomed addition to the typical industrious gym environment,” said Gunther.

In the meantime, residents can expect an increase in traffic through both the west side of the property (Sherwood Drive and Balsam Street) and the east side (Keele Drive).

Photo Credits: Ryland Sweigard