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EDUCATION
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Grand Junction High School - Grand Junction, CO
Mesa County Valley
School District 51
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Services Provided
Architecture
Interior Design
Construction Administration
Bond Support
The Academic Vision for the replacement GJHS capitalized on the Career Technology Education (CTE) programs and Advanced Placement classes. The new educational framework supporting the Academic Vision will be four (4) Academies and/or Pathways, the are as follows:
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Health Sciences and Human Services
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Business and Entrepreneurship
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Engineering, Technology, Natural Resources
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Arts and Humanities
The Academies will offer students robust opportunities for college credits and industry certificates.
GJHS is programmed at approx. 265,000 sf. Three-story academies make consolidation of the footprint possible. Other two-story volumes support Athletics and Performing Arts Center. The School is designed to support a student enrollment of 1850.
The New facility was constructed in the northeast section of the campus, allowing existing GJHS to remain operational during the construction phases. This allowed the continued use of the existing track and field in the northwest corner of the campus. The existing track will be resurfaced as part of the project. A new ball field, tennis courts, practice field, and student parking area will be constructed where the existing school stood.
The building is designed to promote connection and transparency throughout the facility; connections between student/student, student/faculty, and faculty/faculty. Additional design focus addressed the need to create a "safe school and campus", with limited number of secured entries into the building and the ability to create security zones within the building for student safety.
Design drivers for the building organization included:
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Clarity of main entrance as an impactful first impression.
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Intentional composition of Academies demonstrating unique educational spaces supporting college and career pathways.
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Creation of a central space (a HUB); connecting the academies with the community spaces (Athletic Center and PAC).
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Aspirational Athletic Center reflecting the sports heritage of GJHS.
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Performing Arts Center (PAC), includes a 1400 seat community auditorium.
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Central faculty spaces to promote greater connection between faculty.
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Media and Technology Center centrally located for easy student access.
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Celebration of the existing culture and heritage of GJHS.
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Embracing daylighting and major views from the campus to the surrounding benchmarks (Grand Mesa, Colorado, National Monument, and the Bookcliffs)
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Construction began in the spring of 2022. The new building is ready to occupy as of August 2024. Demolition of the existing building and construction of new parking lot and playing fields will be completed by summer 2025
Construction Manager/
General Contractor
(Fast-Track)
Bond Election
BEST Grant
$144.5 M (total project)
$130.4 M (hard cost)
New: 265,000 SF
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Gunnison Watershed School District RE-1J
New Construction
Architecture, Interior Design, Project Management/Owner Representation, Furniture
We designed the Gunnison Valley School as an alternative high school offering unique learning opportunities for up to 32 students. The design of the building incorporated sustainable strategies as they were implemented district wide. We included plenty of daylight with south-facing windows, natural ventilation, high efficiency mechanical and plumbing systems and low emitting finish materials. The spaces were designed to be flexible and meet the needs of differing class sizes, curricula and learning environments. The site was master planned to accommodate future growth of the facility at either end.
2010
4,345 SF
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Gunnison Watershed School District RE-1J
Civic Forum Associates, Inc.
New Construction
Architecture, Interior Design, Project Management/Owner Representation
We designed the Marble Charter School as a K-12 school in the mountainous town of Marble, CO. The appearance of the building is intended to fit within the context of the town history and the mining industry that has been a rich part of this community for decades. Built into a hillside with main entry access on the upper floor and walkout access from the lower level, the project was designed and built in conjunction with a preschool building immediately adjacent.
2009
8,900 SF
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Owner Representative
Masonry bearing exterior and interior walls, steel frame roof and deck, single-ply membrane roof, interior walls metal stud and masonry, combination of slab on grade and steel-frame concrete floors
County Sheriff’s office and jail, main level, basement and mezzanine in jail, sallyport, holding, housing, master control, administration offices, training, lockers, visitation, public spaces.
$1.8M
$1.6M
13,000 SF
Occupied June, 1997
Design/ Bid/ Build
Orchard Mesa Middle School - Grand Junction, CO
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Mesa County Valley
School District 51
New: 99,500 SF
$40 M
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Architecture
Interior Design
Construction Administration
Project Programming
Master Planning
At the outset of the design work for the new Orchard Mesa Middle School, Mesa County Valley School District 51 provided direction amounting to a complete shift for the District: we want this school to be awe-inspiring and to be a place where students and staff want to be.
The design for this new school took cues from the surrounding areas as well as the District’s learning model. Incorporating elements from the Bookcliffs, the Grand Mesa, the river valleys, and, of course, Orchard Mesa itself, the school helps to provide a sense of place and belonging for all who enter.
From the unique refraction of light off the exterior metal panels to the flexible interior space allowing students to work in different styles to the detail of the columns referencing the orchard trees that once dominated the surrounding area, the school is designed to provide educational opportunities throughout. Built on the existing school site in a manner that permitted the school year to continue, the construction was able to help build excitement and anticipation for those using the old facilities on a daily basis.
While it is a new building, the goals to instill a sense of value in the building users and to improve the learning environment will continue throughout the life of the facility.
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School District RE-1J
Existing: 9,986 SF
New: 75,020 SF
$24.8 M
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Architecture
Interior Design
Construction Administration
Project Programming
Master Planning
The Columbine Middle School replacement project created a new middle school on the site of the existing, while keeping the eighth grade classroom wing as part of the final product. Throughout the duration of project, the existing school was safely occupied as to not interrupt school year learning.
The design of the new school focused on creating a variety of indoor and outdoor learning spaces that reflect the flexible needs of the technologically-rich 21 century learning. Programming included extended STEM spaces, breakout spaces for increasing student and teacher interactions, reconfigurable furniture and classrooms, commons area for gathering through all times of the day, all with an emphasis on both social and formal learning.
The school was designed to be a 100-year life building and sustainable; the design used LEED Gold Standards, however accreditation was not a requirement. This focus on sustainability ensured ample daylighting and energy/ water efficient systems to better the experience and welfare of building occupants.
Site improvements included new staff/ visitor/ overflow parking, a new drop-off lane, new bus lane, and new outdoor recreation improvements such as basketball courts, landscaping, and irrigation.
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School District 51
29,100 SF
$7.8 M
Summit and R-5 was the first school in the district designed to support collaborative learning. The building features reduced footprint and energy consumption, lots of daylight in learning spaces with daylight harvesting, durable materials, flexible indoor and outdoor learning environments, learning spaces around commons, student/staff collaboration, acoustical sound control, classroom technology, separation of noisy and quiet functions, large multi-purpose meeting room used by District and community.
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Gunnison Watershed Schools
Gunnison Watershed School District
Six schools totaling 400,000 SF total
As part of the overall Gunnison Watershed School District improvements launched in 2008, Blythe Group + co. master planned 5 schools for the District. Plans included projections for growth in Gunnison County, sensitivity to the diverse communities served by this District including the City of Gunnison, Marble, and Crested Butte, CO, and incorporations and allowances for some of the lowest temperatures in the State of Colorado.
Marble was also allocated a small cash contribution by BEST this year to construct a covered walkway for its students in the summer of 2010.
Programming
Architecture
Interior Design
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Gunnison High School
Gunnison Watershed School District
102,800 SF
Programming
Architecture
Interior Design
Construction Administration
The Gunnison High School project consists of a renovation of 63,800 gross square feet (GSF) of the existing high school building and 39,000 GSF of new construction. New program space includes an Auxiliary Gymnasium and expanded Commons area with food service warming kitchen and concessions for events. Vocational Education programs that are presently housed in a separate metal building were moved to the main high school building as part of the addition. The exterior wall construction is masonry veneer on structural metal stud backup, with some areas of metal siding on metal stud backup and aluminum storefront.
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Gunnison Valley School
Gunnison Watershed School District
4,345 SF
Services Provided
Programming
Architecture
Interior Design
Construction Administration
The new Gunnison Valley School is an alternative high school offering unique learning opportunities for up to 32 students. The existing Valley School was two modular buildings, one of which was demolished, the other repurposed for Gunnison Watershed School District storage. Located just south of the existing Valley School, the new building houses Classrooms, Administrative spaces, Commons areas, and Support spaces. In addition to the interior space, the building is sited to allow the use of “outdoor classroom” areas.
The design of the new building incorporates sustainable strategies as they are implemented District-wide. These include plenty of daylight with south-facing windows, natural ventilation, high efficiency mechanical and plumbing systems and low emitting finish materials. Strategically placed overhangs reduce the heat gain created by any south-facing windows.
The spaces are designed to be flexible and meet the needs of differing class sizes, curriculums, and learning environments. To this end, the Commons areas will utilize some higher ceilings with interior space that offers direct access to the exterior.
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Crested Butte Community School
Gunnison Watershed School District
104,662 SF
The Gunnison Watershed School District constructed an addition and renovation to the Crested Butte Community School that roughly doubled the size of an existing K-12 school. The facility was upgraded over several seasons and saw an addition to both the elementary and secondary facilities as well as renovations to several areas of the existing building. In cooperation with the Town and County, the secondary school addition has met LEED goals through the use of sustainable materials and practices and is a LEED Certified.
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Programming
Architecture
Interior Design
Construction Administration
Other Gunnison Watershed School Projects
Gunnison Community School
Lake Elementary School
Marble Charter School
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Garfield County School District
64,423 SF
$6 M
This project changed an existing middle school to function as an elementary school. The central interior was reconfigured to improve circulation and security, while space renovations improved appearance and visibility for younger students.
The renovation project includes new paint, carpet, lighting, and fixtures, a kitchen renovation, updating of classrooms to meet code specific to elementary schools, redesigned parking, a new entryway, and some interior construction.
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Programming
Architecture
Interior Design
Construction Administration
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Mesa County Valley School District 51
44 Schools
$109 M
With voter-approved funding, Mesa County Valley School District 51 together with Blythe Group + co. managed a District-wide program of upgrades and new builds. Five new Schools were built and renovations and remodels were conducted on another 39 schools. Thanks to effective schedule and budget management, the project was completed in 20 months with a $15 Million surplus. The money saved was used to construct an additional new elementary school in downtown Grand Junction. The Chipeta Elementary School was awarded LEED® Silver certification in the fall of 2008.
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Owner's Representative
Independence Academy Charter School - Grand Junction, CO
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Independence Academy Charter School
44 Schools/ 19,200 SF
$4.2 M
The project features high-performance building envelope, daylighting, views to mountains, reduced footprint, and energy consumption, flexible indoor and outdoor learning environments, student/ staff/ community collaboration, classroom technology.
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Architecture
Master Planning
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The school includes a 2-story educational wing with classrooms, administration offices, media center, and computer lab. The performing arts wing includes a 375 seat auditorium and a band/ choir room. The vocational/ athletics wing houses auto and wood shops, weight and wrestling rooms, locker rooms, and the main and auxiliary gyms. Blythe Group also supported the school in securing a BEST Grant.
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Salida School District
91,110 SF
$23 M
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Interior Design
Wayfinding
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The renovation and expansion of Rifle High School consists of three additions totaling 21,000 square feet. The largest addition was a new commons area to be used as a cafeteria and includes an assembly area with a stage. The new commons area fulfills the owner’s desire to incorporate a more prominent entry point. An expansion containing three new classrooms including a special needs classroom for students with specific physical requirements, with the third addition expanding the existing locker room facility. The existing locker room was converted into a weight training facility. More restrooms were added to meet current code requirements as well as upgrades to existing restrooms to meet ADA requirements. Modification to circulation areas was made to address security considerations. A new fire suppression system was installed, as well as upgrades to lighting and finishes throughout the facility.
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Garfield County School District
21,000 SF
$15 M
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Architecture
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CNCC
3 Classroom buildings 88,300 SF
Residence Hall 5,800 SF
$15 M
This is a brand-new master-planned campus for CNCC in Craig, CO. This first phase project included site/infrastructure (grading, roads, parking lots, utilities, walks, and landscaping). 3 classroom buildings (Academic and Student Services building, Career/ Technical Center and several residence halls are planned for future phases.
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Project Management
Owner's Representation