Public Building Commission Board Awards Contract, Appoints Architects for Chicago Public Schools Projects

Annexes at Lincoln, Edwards and Jamieson Elementary Schools Move Forward and Will Ease Overcrowding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/09/2014
Molly Sullivan, Public Building Commission, (312) 744-9277

The Board of Commissioners of the Public Building Commission (PBC) today approved the contract award for the construction of the Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Annex project and appointed the architects of record for two other school annex projects – Jamieson Elementary School and Edwards Elementary School.

The board approved the awarding of the $14.02 million contract to Blinderman Meccor JV of Chicago for the construction project at Lincoln Elementary, 615 W. Kemper Place in the Lincoln Park community.

The new three-story annex will help ease overcrowding at the school, which currently leases space at DePaul University to accommodate existing students. The annex will include 17 classrooms, two music and band rooms, a computer lab, a kitchen and cafeteria plus a rooftop play area to the school, along with renovations at the existing school that are needed to accommodate the new annex. The project will be completed in time for the start of the 2015-16 school year.

The board also approved the appointment of two architecture firms to oversee the design of two other school annex projects. Architrave. Ltd., a Chicago-based minority-owned business was appointed Architect of Record for the Minnie Mars Jamieson Elementary School annex project, located at 5650 N. Mozart Street in the West Ridge community.

Also approved was the appointment of STL, a Chicago-based minority-owned business as Architect of Record for the Richard Edwards Elementary School annex project, located at 4815 S, Karlov Avenue in the Archer Heights community.

PBC is building the annexes on behalf of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and all three projects will help ease overcrowding and bring enhanced facilities for students.  The PBC has successfully completed a number of new CPS schools and annexes across the city, helping to improve the learning environment for students.

Since 2012, CPS has worked to leverage and commit approximately one billion capital dollars to improve access to technology, critical learning resources, and amenities at schools across the District to give children the resources and learning environment they need to excel and thrive in the classroom.