McHugh in the News:
McHugh Completes Riverside Brookfield High School Expansion
March 24, 2010
James McHugh Construction Co. has completed a $64 million program to renovate and expand historic Riverside Brookfield High School. Because of significant cost savings, McHugh added eight additional classrooms to the scope of the project while keeping to the original construction budget.
Every phase of the project opened either early or on time despite a massive flood in fall 2008 that forced six feet of water into the basement, knocking out the new electrical service and equipment and forcing the school to close for more than a week.
What's more, McHugh completed the majority of the work while school remained in session, phasing the work carefully to minimize disruptions to RB's 1,400 students. All academic and extracurricular programs continued without a hitch.
McHugh had to work around significant space challenges. While new high schools often are built on 50-acre spaces, RB only has 6.6 acres, with part of its parking lot and athletic fields actually belonging to the adjacent Brookfield Zoo. With little room for maneuvering, McHugh used every open space at RB to its advantage. In the first phase, the team built a new music center into a 70-by-70 foot courtyard space in the school's interior, and constructed a vocational education building across the street from the main facility. A portion of the second-floor classrooms were closed off and updated as well.
In the second phase, McHugh built a new swimming pool in the existing aquatic space, replacing an aging pool too narrow to be used for official swim meets.
The third phase, the most extensive, included a new academic and administrative wing with new main entrance on the northwest corner of the property; a student commons area; and a new field house. McHugh also renovated and reconfigured the rest of the school, adding space to the cafeterias and library, and improving the computer labs, auditorium and theater, and main gymnasium.
Throughout the entire school, the team added a sprinkler system, new addressable fire alarm system, and new, efficient lighting and controls. McHugh replaced all the mechanical systems, added air conditioning for the whole school, and replaced all single-glazed windows with energy-conserving double-glazed windows. Stairwells, corridors and bathrooms, many with the original 90-year-old fixtures, were renovated, bringing them up to current accessibility standards. Finally, the team reconfigured several main hallways, adding windows to brighten the spaces and improve traffic flow.
The original plans did not call for any second-floor facilities over the new first-floor science classrooms, said Andy Totten, McHugh project manager. However, McHugh was able to finish the space for no additional cost to the original contract, he said, by budgeting effectively and taking advantage of reduced material and labor costs.
"We were essentially able to give the school district eight extra classrooms for free," Totten said. Other extras not in the original budget included a group exercise studio designed for spinning classes, and a reconfigured main hallway to bring additional space and light into a previously crowded area.
Among the notable features in the school are:
- a central hub and commons for the athletic areas, with gyms and fitness areas grouped together and a drop-off area outside;
- a two-story atrium and reception area, which provides security while creating a light-filled, welcoming area; and
- multiple-use commons areas, including open space off the atrium that can be used as art studios.
Portions of the school, District 208's facility, date back to 1917, with additions made in 1938, 1952, and 1967. Architect for the project was Darien, Ill.-based Wight Co.
McHugh has earned accolades for several other recent high school projects. At Little Village High School in Chicago, McHugh constructed a 60-foot-tall functioning Aztec solar calendar, one of only a few in the country and built one of the area's first "small schools" facilities. At York Community High School in Elmhurst, McHugh completed the $92 million rehab and reconstruction six months early and earned the project a Chicago Building Congress Award of Merit.
Founded in 1897, McHugh is one of Chicago's oldest and largest general contracting, construction management and consulting firms. Current projects include the acclaimed Aqua tower in Chicago's new Lakeshore East area and three new apartment towers in downtown Chicago.
