W.T. Rich - West Parish Elementary School

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Established in 1968 by Walter T. Rich, the firm continues to operate with excellence, reliability and integrity under CEO, Jon Rich.

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West Parish Elementary School

OVERVIEW

The West Parish Elementary School project in Gloucester consisted of the demolition of the old school followed by the new construction of a 66,000 square foot school. The main 3-story building is a steel-framed building and a single-story wing that consists of a gymnasium, kitchen and cafeteria/auditorium.

The main hallway of the academic wing was constructed of glue-laminated beams that resemble the wood from which ships were once constructed. This alludes to the nautical history of Gloucester, along with lighting fixtures inside the main entry that resemble buoys. The main entry and hallway also feature polished concrete floors.

Before construction could commence, W.T. Rich had to renovate a nearby former parochial school in only 10 weeks to accommodate the displaced students from the old West Parish School. The original foundation design also required an adjustment to include rammed aggregate piers to accommodate the site conditions. W.T. Rich ultimately saved $1 million and one month of construction work by executing this method.

Project Information

Location: Gloucester, MA

Completion: 2016

Contract Value: $30 million

Size: 66,000 SF

Type: Demolition / New Construction

Owner: City of Gloucester

Designer: Dore & Whittier Architects - Newburyport, MA

Delivery Method: CM-at-Risk (MGL Chapter 149A)

Awards and Honors

- LEED® Gold Certification

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“Faced with an extremely tight site and challenging schedule, W.T. Rich worked with the design team to structure early release packages that allowed us to efficiently sequence the construction, avoiding months of winter conditions costs. W.T. Rich's attention to detail, along with their ability to effectively communicate and work through issues as they came up, were the reasons why this project was so successful. I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to work with them.”

Brad Dore, Dore + Whittier Architects
West Parish Elementary School

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“Faced with an extremely tight site and challenging schedule, W.T. Rich worked with the design team to structure early release packages that allowed us to efficiently sequence the construction, avoiding months of winter conditions costs. W.T. Rich's attention to detail, along with their ability to effectively communicate and work through issues as they came up, were the reasons why this project was so successful. I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to work with them.”

Brad Dore, Dore + Whittier Architects
West Parish Elementary School
“W.T. Rich provides excellent service and has demonstrated that their foremost interest is with their clients' wishes and needs. They are responsible and creative in their approach to problematic situations, and they are careful of budget considerations to ensure that the construction process progresses successfully.”

Kevin J. Buckley, KBA Architects
West Parish Elementary School