{"id":6989,"date":"2021-12-13t15:46:16","date_gmt":"2021-12-13t21:46:16","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.dicovercards.com\/?post_type=snyder-projects&p=6989"},"modified":"2022-11-22t13:38:46","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22t19:38:46","slug":"phase-one-construction-begins-on-the-new-ames-high-school-project","status":"publish","type":"snyder-projects","link":"\/\/www.dicovercards.com\/projects\/phase-one-construction-begins-on-the-new-ames-high-school-project\/","title":{"rendered":"new ames high school campus & athletic facility master plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

modern high school construction & athletic facility projects to meet the future<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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despite numerous renovations over the years, the old high school building no longer met the district’s needs.<\/p><\/div>\n

when the current ames high school<\/a>\u00a0opened in the early 1960s, the\u00a0city of ames<\/a> had a population of 27,000. that number is on pace to surpass 67,000 over the next few years. although the high school building has undergone over 15 additions and improvement projects in the intervening decades, the current facility is no longer able to meet the needs of the ever-growing student population. additionally, the district needed a centralized district office<\/a> and a new home for its high school baseball and softball programs.<\/p>\n

in 2019, officials from the ames community school district held a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off construction on their new $137 million high school building. the project was almost entirely funded by a bond referendum passed by the community in 2018. working in conjunction with opn architects, the snyder & associates team played a major role in the site design aspects of the new education facility<\/a>, as well as creating the master plan for the new athletics facility<\/a> and district office.<\/p>\n

modern amenities to formulate an ideal learning environment<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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as construction progresses, the rear of the new high school is shown in december 2021.<\/p><\/div>\n

located on the existing high school grounds, the new building (currently about 80% complete) will have state-of-the-art accommodations. an open commons area inside the front entrance will act as a\u00a0gathering space<\/a>\u00a0for students, staff, and community events. several safety features are incorporated into the building design to protect entries, including a secure vestibule and video monitoring capabilities.<\/p>\n

just off the commons area, are the entrances to a fine arts auditorium and a 1,800-capacity competition gymnasium with an\u00a0elevated running track. a natatorium will house an eight-lane pool with starting blocks and a separate diving area. large, open academic pods will have classroom spaces, as well as collaboration space in the middle to foster teamwork. in addition, the pod areas will be flooded with natural light through the extensive use of glass in the building design.<\/p>\n

site development and grading design work takes center stage<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

the new building is situated in the space formerly occupied by the parking lot and practice fields immediately to the east of the old high school. the snyder & associates approach to\u00a0site development<\/a>\u00a0is built on an extensive understanding of municipality requirements and design processes that focus on organized, cost-effective site plans. along with site development, an extensive\u00a0stormwater management plan<\/a>\u00a0was established by our team so the site grading would blend with the existing landscape. to that end, 3-d site models<\/a> were prepared to determine cut and fill volumes to facilitate effective communication with contractors.<\/p>\n

multi-phase construction process poses many design challenges<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

since construction is being completed in five phases over several years, it was necessary to maintain the current facility at full utilization through the first three phases. after the new building is substantially completed, the current high school will be decommissioned and demolished during phase four of the plan. the fifth phase will encompass site restoration for new\u00a0athletic fields\u00a0and a greenhouse where the old building stood. this\u00a0multi-phase construction process<\/a>\u00a0created several challenges for the snyder & associates design team, including:<\/p>\n