Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month.
New School in New Jersey
It’s not just back-to-school season—it’s build-a-school season! Across the country, a number of communities are busy constructing new schools or making necessary upgrades amid infrastructure issues and rising populations. For example, leaders from the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) and Garfield School District have officially kicked off construction of the new Woodrow Wilson School No. 5 in Garfield. The $87.6 million project is being built to help reduce overcrowding throughout the district. The 132,000 square-foot, four-story facility will be designed to educate a max of 850 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Organizations: New Jersey SDA and Garfield School District
Location: Garfield, N.J.
Type of project: New build
Size: 132,000 square feet
Estimated cost: $87.6 million
Design-build team: Dobco Inc. (working alongside NK Architects and Anser Advisory)
Status: Ground broken Aug. 26
Expected completion: N/A
Interesting tidbit: The project is advancing using a design-build approach. According to the SDA, the state agency responsible for school projects across 31 districts, this method differs from the traditional design-bid-build approach by allowing the SDA to contract with one firm for both design and construction of a school facilities project. As a result of the agency’s commitment to energy-efficient facilities, the new school will also be built to earn the LEED Silver green building certification.
Quote: SDA CEO Manuel Da Silva said, “As we mark the start of construction for a state-of-the-art school, together we begin a new chapter in the education of Garfield students.”
More details are available here.
Post-Tornado Rebuild
Natural disasters have grown increasingly stronger and more frequent, forcing facilities managers and their organizations to be prepared for the worst. If their facilities get badly damaged or destroyed, should they relocate or rebuild? Several big-name companies, including Pfizer and Sam’s Club, have chosen the latter option after getting hit by devastating tornados. Now you can add Dollar Tree Inc. to that growing list. The national discount retailer recently broke ground on a new 1 million square-foot distribution center in Marietta, Okla., marking Dollar Tree’s return to the region following the destruction of its prior facility by an April 2024 twister.
Organization: Dollar Tree Inc.
Location: Marietta, Okla.
Type of project: New build
Size: 1 million square feet
Estimated cost: N/A
Status: Ground broken Sept. 24
Expected completion: Spring 2027
Interesting tidbit: The enhanced distribution center, which is anticipated to be fully operational by spring 2027, will serve approximately 700 Dollar Tree stores across the West and Southwest regions of the U.S. The center is expected to bring 400 jobs back to the community.
Quote: Roxanne Weng, chief supply chain officer for Dollar Tree, said, “We are rebuilding this facility from the ground-up, marking a critical investment for our supply chain and ensuring long-term growth and opportunity in the region.”
More details are available here.
Solar for Campus Decarbonization
To help meet its ambitious Climate Action Plan, the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) has broken ground on a massive, off-campus solar project with developer Pivot Energy. Located on 23 acres of land jointly leased by the partners, the project will generate approximately 9.5 million kWh of clean energy annually—equivalent to the energy used across three of the school’s lab buildings. Laid end-to-end, the project’s 8,000 solar panels are enough to fill four football fields.
Organizations: CU Boulder and Pivot Energy
Location: Weld County, Colo.
Type of project: New build
Size: 23-acre site
Estimated cost: N/A
Status: Ground broken Aug. 5
Expected completion: Spring 2026
Interesting tidbit: How will the university make its campus greener using off-site solar panels? Under a 20-year, “cost-neutral” deal with Pivot Energy, CU Boulder will benefit from a virtual net metering (VNEM) program established by Colorado Senate Bill 21-26, which allows the university to subscribe to energy produced off-site and receive credits on its electricity bills along with 100% of the project’s renewable energy credits (RECs). One other cool aspect of the project? A flock of about 100 sheep will provide “lamb-scaping” services to manage the site’s vegetation from April through October each year.
Quote: CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz said, “We’re not just talking about sustainability—we’re building it into the fabric of our operations in ways that are both financially responsible and environmentally impactful.”
More details are available here.
WNBA Practice Facility
The WNBA’s Dallas Wings and the City of Dallas, Texas, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a new, state-of-the-art practice facility at Joey Georgusis Park in west Dallas/Oak Cliff. As the permanent training home of the Dallas Wings, the new facility is designed to be a slam dunk both for professional athletes and the community, offering multipurpose spaces for youth programs, local athletics, and special events.
Organization: Dallas Wings
Location: Dallas, Texas
Type of project: New build
Size: 70,700 square feet
Estimated cost: N/A
Status: Ground broken Sept. 26
Expected completion: Before 2026 WNBA season
Interesting tidbit: The 70,700 square-foot facility will include a host of features and amenities, including two courts with 10 baskets; a 3,800 square-foot locker room; a player lifestyle suite with a hair and nail salon; over 4,000 square feet of strength and conditioning space; a content studio; a family lounge; two mother’s rooms for nursing; a full-service dining facility; community space; and more.
Quote: Dallas City Manager Bizor Tolbert said, “The project is actually bigger than just the brick and the mortar; it will truly be the hub of systematic change. It is where women’s sports, family health, and community pride will intersect and come together.”
More details are available here.
Honorable Mentions
- Omaha Steaks Food Safety Facility
- Red Bull Factory Gets Wings
- Update on Bengals Stadium
- College’s Simulation Hospital
- Green Convention Center
Do you have a major project announcement you’d like considered for the “Under Construction” series? Please contact Editor Joe Bebon at JBebon@BLR.com.