With a fourth and final ribbon cutting, Gilbane celebrates the completion of South Windsor’s Elementary Schools Master Plan
Pleasant Valley Elementary School is the final building to be replaced under the district’s ten-year plan.
South Windsor, CT – Representatives from the Board of Education, State of Connecticut, and the Town of South Windsor, alongside school/building committee members, students, faculty, and residents, joined Gilbane Building Company, Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc., and Colliers International to celebrate the official ribbon cutting ceremony for Pleasant Valley Elementary School.
Completion of the 102,000-SF school marks the third and final phase of South Windsor’s 10-year elementary schools master plan, which encompassed the replacement of four elementary schools in the district. Gilbane successfully delivered the Eli Terry, Orchard Hill, and Philip R. Smith Elementary Schools as part of the first two phases of the plan.
Pleasant Valley Elementary opens its doors this September to nearly 700 students and 110 half-time preschool students, who will be greeted with brand new learning and gathering spaces, a new field and playgrounds, as well as a space dedicated to preschool students with special needs.
“We’re very proud of our longstanding partnership with South Windsor and are excited to deliver this final school in their 10-year plan just as successfully as the first three,” said John Hawley, vice president and business unit leader for Gilbane in Connecticut. “The relationships we have built throughout this process further solidify our commitment to the well-being and safety of the South Windsor community and its youngest learners.”
South Windsor’s three-phase, 10-year elementary schools master plan addressed aging facilities and a changing population.
Phase One: Orchard Hill Elementary
The highly anticipated Orchard Hill Elementary School was the first and largest project to be completed under the master plan.
Gilbane and DRA worked cohesively with the Town of South Windsor, school administration, and Colliers to deliver a state-of-the-art school with cutting-edge STEM learning spaces on time and $1 million under budget, while also creating a memorable mentoring experience for students and the community.
Phase Two: Philip R. Smith and Eli Terry Elementary Schools
Philip R. Smith and Eli Terry Elementary Schools were constructed simultaneously and completed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in August of 2020.
Eli Terry Elementary is 67,000 SF and accommodates 437 students. Features include classrooms, offices, administration, gymnasium, media center, cafeteria, food preparatory, and service areas. Philip R. Smith Elementary is 60,700 SF and accommodates nearly 400 students. Features include classrooms, offices, administration, gymnatorium, media center, cafeteria, food preparatory and service areas, and support spaces.
Gilbane created an educational experience out of the construction process throughout all three phases. Through classroom visits, a mentorship program, and special viewing holes cut into the project fencing, the project team helped curious students understand how buildings are designed and built. Fourth-grade students were also encouraged to write poems and create artwork about what they saw on site. These pieces were displayed at the front entrance of the school for parents and visitors.
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has 45 office locations around the world. For more information, visit www.gilbaneco.com.