ATLANTA, GA — Balfour Beatty has completed construction on Atlanta Public School’s West Manor Elementary School, located in the Lynhurst community of Atlanta, nine weeks ahead of schedule. The $11-million additions and renovations project began in June 2020 to improve functionality and the overall appearance of the school’s interior and exterior structures, further enhancing the learning experience for district students and staff.

In just 10 months, Balfour Beatty successfully completed 52,106 square feet of additions and renovations while maintaining West Manor Elementary School’s architectural character. The project included the addition of a brand new gymnasium and performance platform, new administrative space for staff, additional art, music, and language classrooms, new outdoor learning spaces to support the school’s International Baccalaureate program, support and meeting space, the addition of a secure lobby space, new roof replacement, complete replacement of the HVAC and electric systems, installation of a sprinkler system, as well as additional parking, storage, site and circulation improvements, and other various interior upgrades and renovations.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to refresh this learning space for the dedicated students and staff of West Manor Elementary School," said Mike Macon, Balfour Beatty Senior Vice President in Georgia. "Throughout the lifecycle of the project, our team leveraged our industry experience in K-12 construction while remaining agile and consistently collaborating with Atlanta Public Schools to complete this project nine weeks ahead of schedule and just in time for the new school year."

Balfour Beatty leveraged lean construction methods such as pull planning to expedite the additions and renovations at West Manor Elementary, which was initially scheduled for delivery in September 2021. The team also worked with Atlanta Public Schools and trade partners in utilizing value engineering that reallocated $296,000 of the project scope without comprising the district’s vision and anticipated budget. Value engineering was used to adjust skin systems and structural components, replace HVAC systems, and provide a new roof for the existing building.

“Balfour Beatty continues to be an outstanding partner of Atlanta Public Schools,” said Theondrae Reid, Project Manager for Atlanta Public Schools. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Balfour Beatty on three consecutive school projects, and their proactive approach in providing creative construction solutions has exceeded our district’s goals and expectations to create dynamic learning environments for the Lynhurst community and beyond. With the project complete nine weeks early, we can ensure that students, teachers, and staff have adequate time to transition to the new school year.”