Photo courtesy of Adolfson & Peterson Construction

Initially conceived as a remodeling project, Boulders aging Columbine Elementary was instead replaced with a new state-of-the-art school building.

Photo courtesy of Adolfson & Peterson Construction

The design also educates children about green technologies and resource conservation.

2012 Award of Merit

K-12 Education

Boulder Valley Schools Columbine Replacement Elementary

Boulder, Colo.

Initially conceived as a remodeling project, Boulder's aging Columbine Elementary was instead replaced with a new state-of-the-art school building. The design significantly reduces annual operations and maintenance costs while educating children about green technologies and resource conservation.

The goal was to build the new school in an established neighborhood where some residents opposed the project. The team had to work around aging, narrow streets and limited storage space and next to a fully operational elementary school whose daily operations could not be interrupted. Despite these challenges, the result was a new building completed one month ahead of schedule and $62,000 under budget.

Key Players

Owner: Boulder Valley School District RE-2, Boulder

Architect: Bennett Wagner & Grody Architects, Denver

General Contractor: Adolfson & Peterson, Aurora, Colo.

Civil & Structural Engineer: JVA Consulting, Boulder

MEP Engineer: Cator Ruma & Associates, Lakewood, Colo.

Entry submitted by Adolfson & Peterson Construction