Photo by Benjamin Benschneider Photography Lease Crutcher Lewis built a student commons in Garfield High School’s old auditorium space.

When Garfield High School opened on time despite added scope and unforeseen conditions, it did so because Lease Crutcher Lewis, the neighborhood and the rest of the project team came together to make an unusually challenging job successful.

The renovation of the main school building included a restoration of its historic facade. The project also involved seismic upgrades, interior reconfigurations, and track and sports field regrading and surfacing. together to make an unusually challenging job successful.

The interior changes were significant: A commons is now located where the old auditorium was, and the old gym became a library. New construction included a replacement gym and the 595-seat Quincy Jones Performance Center. together to make an unusually challenging job successful.

Because the design was based on drawings from the 1920s, many conditions could not be discovered until significant demolition had taken place. The project team found solutions or redesigned as needed. together to make an unusually challenging job successful.

For example, some utility tunnels had major undocumented structural obstructions, yet needed to fit modern ductwork. The spaces above the second-floor corridor ceilings were very constrained since these ceilings were close to the structure to accommodate the tall corridor windows at the building light wells. Virtual 3-D modeling helped fit the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and a substantial amount of additional steel structure needed for seismic upgrades into these tight spaces. together to make an unusually challenging job successful.

Re-sequencing allowed additional months of design for the tunnels, an online reservation system managed deliveries by subcontractors and suppliers, and a hoisting system got equipment to the basement through selectively cut holes in the floor slabs.together to make an unusually challenging job successful.

Minority- and women-owned firms performed a total of $3 million worth of work on the project.together to make an unusually challenging job successful.

Judges wrote, “Excellent job of bringing in disadvantaged subcontractors and suppliers from the neighborhood.”together to make an unusually challenging job successful.