LOCATION
West Carrollton, Ohio
COMPLETION
2022
SCOPE
New Build
The Garmann Miller and West Carrollton relationship began in 2017 when we came together for a common goal—to bring new, modern learning facilities to the Pirate community. Our planners connected with the district at countless meetings and local events and provided support to the campaign committee and athletic boosters. Over the next two years, we worked as an integrated team to successfully pass a $44 million bond in November 2019.
“We’ve been trying to do this for 10 years,” said West Carrollton schools business manager Jack Haag, in a Sept. 28, 2021, article in the Dayton Daily News. “It will be great when we finally see this project completely through. … The way we’re changing the landscape of West Carrollton and Moraine is going to be huge.”
Key accomplishments along the way included:
• Reviewing and successfully challenging the OFCC master plan
• Modifying the master plan to achieve the 2/3 building replacement rule
• Overcoming state delay of project
• Helping the district get into the ELPP program
• Creating the Program of Requirements and grade banding
After the district secured its funding, of which the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission provided 81% of the co-funded share, the Garmann Miller team led West Carrollton through the educational visioning process. This hands-on, interactive process included staff, community and board members, and students to glean issues and priorities that need addressed in the future learning spaces. This information was then analyzed and used to create the foundation for the design phases. The West Carrollton staff and community gave our design team a great start to visualize the district’s future schools.
Once the vision became clear, Garmann Miller assisted West Carrollton City Schools with an OFCC Expedited Local Partnership Program project, which included a new PK-1 and 5-6 school. The new schools were to be designed in conformance with the current version of the Ohio School Design Manual but also included to the following locally funded initiatives (LFIs).
• Extra space for labs
• Fine arts
• Physical education
• Material upgrades
The West Carrollton Early Childhood Center, along Central Avenue, is a two-story, 95,000-square-foot building, housing 742 preschool, kindergarten and first grade students, as well as the district administrative offices and a meeting room. The facility was built with a tornado shelter and took advantage of 21st Century design principles that plan for future flexibility by implementing extending learning area spaces within the building. The project was completed on time and on budget in August 2022. This was a huge success as the team worked through a global pandemic and supply chain issues that have plagued much of the economy for the past year.
Garmann Miller’s construction administrator kept WCCS updated on the projects with weekly Construction Reports, which the district also posted on its website with descriptions and photos of the work happening on each site for the community to see.
