Connecticut – KBE Building Corporation, formerly Konover Construction Corporation is putting the final touches on the last of three technical high schools in Connecticut that were renovated as part of an overall effort to restructure and modernize the course offerings, programs, equipment and facilities of the state’s technical schools.
Over the years, Connecticut Technical High Schools have educated thousands of students in the construction trades, occupational-specific training and apprenticeships, manufacturing technologies, automotive technologies, culinary arts and hospitality skills.
KBE has been involved in ambitious projects at W.F. Kaynor Technical High School in Waterbury, E.C. Goodwin Technical High School in New Britain, and Norwich Technical High School in Norwich. Each of these projects presented its own unique challenges including completing the renovations with the entire student body on the premises.
“Each of these projects involved outstanding collaboration between everyone involved – the State Department of Public Works’ project managers, the design teams, trade contractors, and the faculty, staff and students,” said Mike Kolakowski, President and CEO of KBE Building Corporation. “Our experience in working in occupied spaces, particularly in the education market, allowed us to easily flow from one phase of the project to the next.”
W.F. Kaynor Technical High School underwent renovation and new additions that will improve site circulation, upgrade the school’s vocational shops, and implement high-tech, fully digital academic classrooms and laboratories. The current classroom wing was demolished to make way for a new, three-story academic wing and gymnasium. This will allow creation of the large classrooms needed to accommodate digital technology and assist in reducing congestion at the entrance. KBE renovated the school’s trade classrooms and performed an upgrade on all of the building systems. The school will remain fully operational throughout the multi-phased construction.
“ A key design goal was to foster pride in vocational education with a cutting edge facility that features the latest technology and supports the curriculum by utilizing strong architectural forms that communicate a clear, vibrant identity for both the shops area and the academic wing,” said Julija Singer, AIA, LEED AP – Design Architect from The S/L/A/M Collaborative.
E.C. Goodwin Technical High School underwent its first major renovation and upgrade project in over 25 years. The school was built in 1962. The seven-phase project includes new and renovated academic classrooms, technical shop space, administrative areas and support space, new athletic fields, and new parking lots. Modernizing and expanding the school will not only benefit the students and faculty but will ultimately benefit the workforce in the New Britain region for many years to come.
“For the E.C. Goodwin Technical High School, we worked very successfully with KBE to create the look and academic experience of a 21st century technical school,” said David King, AIA, and principal of Kaestle Boos Architects, based in New Britain, Conn.
Norwich Technical High School was completed in December of 2008. KBE converted an existing 100,000-s/f community college into a 200,000-s/f state-of-the-art technical high school. As with the others, the facility remained fully operational during this phased construction project. The school includes more than 15 technical education and science labs, full academic facilities, auditorium, media center, gymnasium, and cafeteria and dining facilities. M/E/P and data systems were also up-graded throughout.