PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Pinellas County School District developed a prototype that used precast concrete to construct four school additions in the summer of 2021. The prototype can be scaled up or down from 6 to 12 additional classrooms with an option for one- or two-story construction.

Read more about this project in the Winter 2022 issue of Ascent.

PRECAST SOLUTION

The objective of the Pinellas County School District was to enlarge the existing schools at their current location without disrupting students and faculty. Since precast concrete components were cast off site, fewer trades were needed on the active school campus. It required no lay down or storage area and was quickly enclosed for other trades to complete interior work.

Designer

Williamson Design Associates

Lead Designer

Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners

Engineer

Williamson Design Associates

Contractor

Ajax Building Company, (Shore Acres Elementary)

Contractor

Skanska USA Building, Tampa, Fla. (North Shore Elementary, Sawgrass Lake Elementary, Sanderlin Elementary)

Owner

Pinellas County School District

PCI-Certified Precast Concrete Producers

Coreslab Structures (Shore Acres Elementary) and Dura-Stress Inc. (North Shore Elementary, Sawgrass Lake Elementary, Sanderlin Elementary

Key Project Attributes

• The selection of precast concrete was facilitated by the willingness of the design team and Pinellas County Schools to collaborate with the precast concrete producers.
• The objective of the Pinellas County School District was to enlarge the existing schools at their current location without disrupting students and faculty.
• Since precast concrete components were cast off site, fewer trades were needed on the active school campus. It required no lay down or storage area and was quickly enclosed for other trades to complete interior work.
• Three of the four schools (North Shore Elementary, Sanderlin Elementary and Sawgrass Lake Elementary) were constructed sequentially during the summer with only an 8-day typical duration to erect the 2-story classroom additions.

Project/Precast Scope

• To be as economical as possible most of the school annexes featured smooth form finishes. The precast concrete wall panels were then painted in the field with a textured paint
• The hardened walls of precast concrete provide shelter from high winds and large projectiles despite not being designed to FEMA standards.
• The biggest benefit of using precast was that it saved time and labor costs on site.