ROLLA, MO — S. M. Wilson & Co. has begun construction on an 8,200-square-foot storm shelter addition at Mark Twain Elementary School in the Rolla 31 Public School District to replace the school’s cafeteria, which was destroyed by an EF-2 tornado in March 2025. The $7 million project, primarily funded through the Missouri United School Insurance Council, adds a FEMA-rated storm shelter that also serves as the school’s cafeteria and kitchen. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2026. S. M. Wilson is the general contractor. The architect is Hoener Architects.
On the night of March 14, 2025, an EF-2 tornado with winds up to 120 mph cut an 8-mile path through Rolla, Missouri, causing significant damage to Mark Twain Elementary and other district facilities. The tornado destroyed the school’s cafeteria and damaged classroom windows, playground equipment, HVAC units, siding, windows, and caused interior flood damage.
The new storm shelter will be constructed using fully grouted masonry block, engineered and rated to withstand winds up to 250 mph, providing the highest level of protection for students and staff during severe weather. S. M. Wilson is converting the former cafeteria space into classrooms. The project’s exterior work includes a new asphalt drop-off lane to improve traffic flow during arrival and dismissal, developing a new parking lot to support the expanded facility, and completing associated site work.
S. M. Wilson is also the general contractor for the district’s new 46,000-square-foot Early Childhood Center, an $8.3 million adaptive-reuse project converting the former Columbia College-Rolla campus into a centralized Pre-K facility for approximately 350 students.
S. M. Wilson has worked in partnership with 50 school districts in Missouri and Illinois, including Columbia Public Schools, Francis Howell R-III School District, Hallsville R-IV School District, Jefferson City School District, Ladue School District, Northwest School District, and Pattonville R-III School District, among others.
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Founded in 1921, S. M. Wilson is a full-service construction management, design/build, and general contracting firm with offices in St. Louis, Missouri, and Edwardsville, Illinois.
