Mortimer Campground: 2 Years Later

Close to Grandfather Mountain, and crossed by Thorps Creek, Mortimer Campground is not only a window to the natural world, but also to the history of North Carolina. Originally built in the Pisgah National Forest to house the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, the site is also close to Mortimer, NC, a historic town that was abandoned during a 1940s flood. Today, Mortimer Campground hosts campers, hikers and fishermen who want to explore the state’s history and enjoy the natural environment around them.

In some ways, this project represents the unsteady balance between the natural world and humanity and how modern engineering can help to restore it. Restoring this balance was the goal of one of our longest delayed projects.

Camp Mortimer has always abounded in local wildlife, but unfortunately around a decade ago, the needs of humans and animals came into conflict. Campers needed to drive over Thorps Creek to get to the other side of the camp. But the low-water ford bridge they used to cross was an impediment for the local trout population.

The original low-water ford bridge

Trout are part of our state’s heritage as well as a source of revenue. For them to thrive, they need a specific environment. Since trout prefer cold, clean water, their habitat tends to be restricted to mountain regions. This need sometimes clashes with human expansion and recreation. At Mortimer Campground, the existing low-water ford bridge provided accessibility between the two halves of the site, but due to its design, it also cut off a large area of potential trout habitat, since, due to its design, it was impossible for the fish to cross.

In 2010, A&O addressed the low-water ford bridge’s flood potential as well as the damage it was causing to trout habitat. While we completed a bridge design on schedule, the project was put on hold by the State due to funding issues. It was later revived when Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding trout habitat through replacing existing culverts and bridges, offered to provide the support and oversight needed. Since we had already provided original designs for a replacement bridge, Trout Unlimited asked A&O to provide construction administration and observation to complete the project.

Even in the early stages of the new bridge’s construction, the effects were immediately observable. Once the original stone bridge was demolished, it was possible to view rainbow trout crossing the original barrier upstream. This gave the fish 1,800 extra feet of river habitat that had been previously cut off. After the demolition, A&O’s bridge design was constructed with both the campers and the fish in mind. The replacement is a 35-foot, single-span, core-slab bridge raised above Thorps Creek. Finally, fish were able to cross under and populate their new larger habitat and campers were able to have a higher, safer, more reliable bridge when the water rose.

The new bridge

At A&O, two of our key principles are to be good stewards and to have servant attitudes. We look for solutions that both serve the needs of others and preserve and care for the world around us. Trout, particularly native brook trout, are as much a part of our state’s culture and history as the camp and town of Mortimer, and it is our job as good stewards to make sure their habitat remains as untouched as possible.

Two years after the project’s completion, Mortimer Campground is still a popular place for hikers, campers, and fishermen who can appreciate both the history and beauty of the park, but also the bounty of our state. 

Dismal Swamp: A Retrospective

The Dismal Swamp Canal is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, a route of interconnected rivers and lakes that stretches between the Gulf of Mexico and Massachusetts. As both an alternate travel route and a historic landmark, the Dismal Swamp welcomes nearly 2,000 boaters annually as they pass through the largest remaining swamp in the eastern United States.

The waterway also crosses under a small road that carries cars into the Dismal Swamp State Park. Since cars and boats require access to the same location, this created a conflict between both sources of traffic. Seeing the problem, the NC Division of Parks and Recreation requested that Alpha and Omega Group design a compromise: a bridge that supports traffic and also moves when needed for boats to pass through. This challenge has been one of our longest lasting and most interesting projects to date.

The Dismal Swamp Bridge in motion

A&O was chosen to provide structural and civil engineering to design the bridge leading into the park as well as the park’s Visitor Center. The bridge offered a unique dilemma since it needed to hold the weight of the roadway vehicles and allow traffic from the canal to pass through. The answer? A floating swing span bridge that would allow both land and canal traffic to pass. We designed the bridge in three parts, with a three-span fixed section for canoes to pass without opening the canal and a bascule ramp that lifts up on each end of the center segment. This allows the middle floating barge segment to swing to the side, so that canal traffic is able to pass through. That middle segment floats on the canal, allowing cars to pass and eliminating any issues with rising flood waters.

The Completed Visitor’s Center

Rising river water was just one part of the challenges in designing the Visitor’s Center. Since the Dismal Swamp is so close to the coast, and both hurricanes and flooding are possible, and the Visitor’s Center needed to be built on high ground. The solution was one that allowed history and the present to blend. During the canal’s original construction, workers deposited the soil that they excavated on only one side of the canal. This large, raised section of the canal actually created a raised base for the Visitor Center that could help protect the new building from flooding and erosion while allowing it to have a close proximity to the bridge. Today, the Visitor’s Center is the only rest stop on the Intracoastal Waterway that also serves the highway, allowing travelers to learn about the swamp, the canal, and its historical significance at their leisure in a place that connects to that history.

But these accomplishments did not end A&O’s connection to the Dismal Swamp and its bridge. The Dismal Swamp exists in a coastal environment, and so the structures built along the canal are subject to erosion from the canal wave action caused by boats, but also to the constant wear of the weather and coastal air. Due to this exposure, repairs and maintenance are necessary much sooner than for other regions of the state.

The Refurbished bridge

In 2021, the NC Division of Parks and Recreation contacted us again with the need to inspect and upgrade the gate houses and make repairs to the bridge. The coastal environment and constant use had caused the bridge and gatehouses to start showing signs of wear. To refurbish and preserve the bridge, we oversaw the disconnection and transport of the bridge for repairs. After being disconnected, it was transported to Chesapeake using the waterway. There it was set ashore, disassembled, cleaned, repainted, and repaired before being returned and reconnected. By doing this, we extended the life of the bridge, making a full replacement unnecessary and keeping the bridge looking fresh and new.

The Dismal Swamp bridge and Visitors Center play a vital role to visitors. It acts as a center for exhibits and events as well as a place for travelers using the intracoastal waterway to rest. The park itself and surrounding area could be called the last wild place in North Carolina and Virginia, offering a slice of both state’s rich and complex history preserved for future generations.

As we look back on our 25-year history, Alpha & Omega Group is proud to contribute to the legacy of the Great Dismal Swamp and its ability to continue to educate the many visitors to one of our state’s greatest natural wonders.

EAPs: A Brief Introduction

When we think of dam failures, large dams like the Hoover Dam and catastrophic disasters that wipe out entire towns usually come to mind. What we don’t tend to think of are the small dams connected to lakes or greenways that can wear away and flood our neighborhood. However, the small, local dams that exist behind subdivisions or as parts of parks or greenways can actually be more dangerous than the larger ones. In North Carolina, 86% of dam fatalities since the 1960’s have come from small dams. That’s why, companies like A&O strive to understand the reasons for the dangers and take the necessary steps to prevent both failures and loss of life.

hanging rock dam

Before we can prevent dam failures, we must consider why they occur in smaller dams more often than larger ones. One major reason is simply that owners of smaller dams often have no plan of action if there is a failure. Without a plan, people panic and can make critical mistakes that result in injury or death. What’s more, it’s not always easy to recognize an event when it is occurring. While some signs, such as a large leakage, might be obvious, an increase of erosion or even very small leakage might not be seen as a problem until the dam fails. For dams that can potentially cause loss of life or property damage, Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) help owners know the signs of a situation and guide them with information on who to call and what steps will need to be taken during an event.

merchant’s mill dam

In reality, an EAP is an evolving document that acts as a guide as well as a resource. It contains, most importantly, a step-by-step plan for how to proceed when faced with a list of different situations and levels of emergency. This list contains events like spillways being breached and even a bomb threat at the location. The event descriptions have instructions for who to call, prompts for important information to give emergency services, and what actions should follow the event. An EAP also includes contact information for local emergency services, businesses to help with lower-level problems, and the names and addresses of residents who need to be evacuated in case of an emergency. All of these elements come together to create a detailed plan for how to handle the different situations a dam owner can face.

north carolina musuem of art dam

In addition to offering a step-by-step guide, EAPs also help dam owners understand the severity of an event. Events are given classes based on their threat level and include a brief description of how to recognize that class of event. One reason dams fail is that even when owners notice something unusual, they do not realize how severe the situation is. An EAP rates each event as specific level of threat, from an abnormal event listed as Level 3, to a failure, classified as a Level 1. The different levels are placed together so that the progression from an abnormal event to a failure can be clearly seen. Using this method, there is less confusion and more time to act.

EAPs save lives. People who are under threat can be evacuated before a dam failure occurs, or a situation is identified before it progresses beyond a low-level threat. EAPs are so successful that in North Carolina there have been only four fatalities due to dam breaches since EAPs required for all dams with the potential to cause loss of life or property damage. We at A&O are proud to say that by helping to create and update EAPs during our 25 years of service, we have helped to prevent deaths and damages and we hope to continue to do so.

a dam located in wake county

If you are curious about our EAP work, please visit our pages describing the recent North Carolina Museum of Art EAP, the Wake County Dam EAPs, and the NC State Park Dam EAPs.

If you are a dam owner, and interested in learning more, please contact us about inspections and ask if an EAP would help you.

Our Strength is in our Values

While skill and experience are key indicators of success, even the most skilled, experienced employees can flounder if they work where the values or culture clashes with their own. Or if they’re confused by what is expected of them. Here at A&O, we express our culture and values with a unique Formula for Success, so every employee understands their distinctive contribution to the team from the very first day on the job.

Celebrating Christmas together at Buffalo Lanes

Relationships (R)

We believe that a company is founded on outside relationships, between our team and our clients, and inside relationships, between the members of our teams. With our clients, we strive to be timely, communicative, and build long-lasting partnerships. Within our company, we strive to create a family atmosphere where we support one another.

We achieve both with:

• Monday meetings where we explore various topics to help us be better employees and better employers.

• Regular progress meetings with clients, making sure to update them on all changes and developments.

• Monthly events to give our team time to connect with one another. 

• Open communication with clients.

• Weekly meetings with department managers so everyone is always on the same page.

Trust (T)

Inspecting the Emerald Isle Bridge

This is the most important piece of our motto, the glue that holds everything else together. Our clients cannot have successful relationships with us if they do not trust us. And our teams cannot work together if they are worried other members can’t complete their parts of a project. Without trust, no other element of our motto is possible.

To help foster trust:

• We finish what we promised to do on time, putting in the extra hours if necessary to reach the deadline.

• We provide the highest quality work possible.

• We communicate clearly if something unforeseen happens, revising schedules and seeking help if necessary.

Teamwork (T)

For A&O, everything is a team exercise, from marketing to bridge inspection. While being able to work independently is essential to doing our jobs, we know that the best work is done with feedback, or with other people to watch our backs. Teamwork is essential to a job well done, and part of teamwork is completing individual tasks on the team.

Another part of teamwork is being flexible, taking on other jobs as necessary. A team supports all its members, and that means individuals taking on the extra load if needed. At A&O, there is no such thing as a “typical day,” since no one does the same job day after day.

Servant attitudes (S)

Glenn and Dana Going the extra mile in the office

As a Christian workplace, we strive to emulate our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been called to serve one another (Mark 9:35). As such, our team puts the needs of others above our own. We put in that extra mile to create something excellent rather than just “good enough.” That may involve coming in a little earlier, or leaving a little later, or going over our “check every box” method to confirm results one more time. This practice has helped us achieve our reputation for doing the best job, the first time. For example, we have completed projects such as Raven Rock Pedestrian Bridge with no change orders throughout the entire process.

Stewardship (S)

We are called to be stewards of the earth. Being a good steward is more than reducing waste; it’s also about conserving and protecting what we are given. For instance, we incorporate design methods such as stormwater control measures on projects where it’s possible to sustain the natural environment, while controlling erosion and stormwater drainage.

Our dedication to Stewardship is another reason we are willing to dig deeper to find the best answers, and to seek out innovation, rather than continuing to use solutions that have become outdated. We expect our team to improve and learn about new, enhanced techniques whenever possible.

Excellence (E)

The outcome of this kind of a culture is excellence. A team that knows the value of hard work, takes the time to never stop learning, works together for the best answers, listens to and trusts one another, and strives to give their clients the best possible solutions.

If you think this describes you, we’d love to see how you fit into the A&O family!

R + T² + S² = E

Snakes and Bats and Wasps, Oh My! Animal Safety in Spring and Summer

Summer is here, and as the weather warms up in North Carolina, bridge inspectors can face unexpected encounters. During the warmer months, animals use bridges as a place to hide from the heat of the day or retreat from cars or humans. Unfortunately, this is also a time when we inspect a lot of bridges and culverts. While running into animals is uncommon, it’s always good to be aware of the best ways to prevent encounters or act if one occurs.

Here are some tips that we at A&O have for dealing with or avoiding some of the animals you might see.

Bats

A Northern Long-Eared, bat which is endangered, found during a bridge inspection

Bats love all small dark places. Culverts in particular are safe, away from the sun and most predators, and have a consistent temperature. What’s better, humans rarely come near them. In larger culverts, bats can come together to make a colony where they raise their young. While this is a good thing, as bats eat mosquitoes and other pests, it also increases the risk of coming in contact with the bats, their guano, and the diseases that bats sometimes carry.

Fortunately, the presence of bats is fairly easy to notice when you’re inspecting. Bat guano is obvious, as is the sound of the squeaks of a large colony. In most states, inspectors and engineers are required to stop any bridge or culvert inspection, and report the bats to authorities. Afterwards, the state determines how to proceed. Several species are protected, meaning disturbing them can cause a different kind of trouble.

Thankfully, finding bats in culverts or under bridges isn’t very common, and when it happens, as shown in the image to the right, it’s usually only one or two. Most of the time, it’s best to give them plenty of room to escape and proceed with the inspection.

Snakes

The more common, and more dangerous, pests in North Carolina are the many kinds of snakes that call our state home.

North Carolina’s temperate, humid climate makes it perfect for snakes. While cottonmouths, copperheads, and timber rattlesnakes are the most dangerous, even a nonvenomous snake can still cause injury. For bridge inspectors, it’s easy to mistake a snake for a log or a stick, or to miss a hiding place while inspecting the cracks and crevices in a bridge or culvert. That’s why A&O inspectors take special precautions when in the field both for our safety and that of the animals.

A black snake found outside our building. Snakes are everywhere this time of year.

It's best to always assume that snakes are active. Even in winter when it seems unlikely, it’s possible to accidentally disturb a hibernating snake. This is one reason why, regardless of the time of year, we never work alone, and when we are in isolated areas, we make sure to keep radio contact.

Secondly, we avoid anything that could cause an encounter. A&O inspectors avoid stepping directly over logs and large rocks if they can’t see the ground behind them. Usually, they either go around the rocks or logs, or, if they have to go over, they make sure to pause at the top to make sure there aren’t any snakes or other animals on the other side. They also avoid jumping from overhead spaces or climbing using handholds they can’t see well. These can be good hiding places for snakes, insects, and even dangerous plants. If they need to move any debris, they never do it with our bare hands. Rather they use a pry bar, shovel, or anything similar on hand, so any snake or other animal that might be hiding has the chance to run.

However, no matter how safe and careful we are, there is always the potential of something going wrong. That’s why we make sure that when we are in the field, we’re aware of the location of the closest medical facility with antivenom, as well as the fastest way to reach it. It’s always important to know that accidents can happen and have a plan to avoid serious consequences.

Regardless of the risk snakes pose, A&O does not capture or to kill any snakes we may find. We are called to be good stewards of our environment, and part of that is to leave all animals in peace if possible. If we do encounter a snake, we avoid the location or encourage the snake to leave on its own. In the case of a bite, it’s important to not kill the snake. For identification, take a picture or remember the coloration and any rattle it had. Even bite marks can be used to identify snakes.

Insects

A bee hive found while inspecting.

Another risk our bridge inspectors face while on the field is insects. While most, like mosquitoes, are less a threat and more of an annoyance, sometimes workers are allergic to insect stings, such as bees or wasps.

One of the duties of inspectors is to alert team members of all allergies they’re aware of before they go into the field. A team is only effective if they are able to guard one another and be aware of how to react to an emergency.

As we do with snakes, inspectors make sure to check on the locations of hospitals that could treat an allergic reaction, but they keep a first aid kit on hand, including an EpiPen or Ana-kit. They also make sure everyone knows how to use them.

Unfortunately, bee or wasp hives do sometimes appear in places we inspect, such as under bridges or in trees near a site.  If we find a bee hive at a structure while inspecting, we call pest control to report our findings, and stop the inspection. This is also true if the hive is under a pedestrian bridge or on a greenway.

As the weather gets warmer, unpleasant animal encounters become more likely. However, we hope you’ll remember these tips throughout the year. As a final tip: always be aware of your surroundings and give animals and insects room to adjust to your presence in the environment.

Safeguarding North Carolina’s Dams Through H&H Evaluations

Our nation’s dams are aging and deteriorating, while upstream and downstream populations are increasing. This not only affects our infrastructure, but the valuable benefits that dams provide, including flood protection, water supply, hydropower, irrigation and recreation. Storm events and dam breaches not only cause concern, but sometimes raise false alarms about dam failures and cause widespread panic.

According to data submitted to the National Inventory of Dams and obtained by The Associated Press in 2019, North Carolina has 1,445 dams rated high-hazard, out of about 5,700 dams total. That hazard classification indicates any failure that would likely cause the loss of one or more human lives. Recently, devastating flooding in North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence again raised issues about whether dams across the state are able to hold up under the strain.

In response, the state increased its dam safety program budget by two-thirds and reached out to area engineering firms like Alpha & Omega Group (A&O) to help predict the potential impact on high hazard dams before storms occur. As part of North Carolina’s recovery and resiliency efforts, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources (DEMLR) issued a call for firms to participate in the Neuse River Basin Flood Study.

A&O staffers Rhonda Brewington, PE, and Chris Stone gathered critical dam measurements for Springfield Estates Lower DaM in Raleigh, NC to determine what storm events can cause over topping.

A&O was selected to deliver hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) computer modeling reports and results for 40 dams in the study. Our task was to gather data and develop the hydraulic capacity from these high hazard dam impoundments for use by Emergency Operations Center, Division of Energy Mineral and Land Resources, US Army Corps of Engineers, and local emergency management services.

“Our goal was to look at these dams to determine what storm events can cause overtopping,“ said Rhonda Brewington, PE, A&O’s hydrologic and hydraulic designer. “This allows state agencies to be proactive leading up to a storm event, so dam owners can draw down impoundments to prepare for it and the public can be notified in extreme events. If we know that a certain amount of rain will overtop a  dam during, say, every 100-year storm event, we can not only improve the impoundment, but also prepare nearby residents for potential flooding.”

As part of the project, A&O’s team collected data, created models, and sent the information back to the state’s department of Dam Safety using specific software reporting tools. The process started with gathering watershed data from Streamstats. We used Geographic Information System Mapping (GIS) to determine the stage-storage volume of each impoundment. The team used Excel worksheets provided by Dam Safety to calculate curve numbers and lag times, taking into account how soil and land use affect runoff infiltration.

Finally, we determined the stage-discharge volume between the primary spillway and the emergency spillways with regard to the top of the dam for each impoundment. The team then used the data to model scenarios for 25-year, 50-year, 100-year, 200-year, 500-year, and 1,000-year storm events to predict whether overtopping will occur. To ensure the accuracy of data, the team performed multiple quality checks in-house before submitting information to Dam Safety.

The models used rainfall data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that is based on past storm experience and long-term data researched by federal authorities. By being part of this study, A&O hopes to provide valuable forecasting data to mitigate losses from future storms and save lives.

“We are proud to work alongside North Carolina agencies who are not only concerned about property losses and reservoir storage, but the impact that future storms may have on residents’ welfare and quality of their day-to-day lives,” concluded Brewington.

2020 ACEC Grand Award: Lincoln Heights Elementary School Renovations

Lincoln Heights Elementary, a 1960s-era school in southern Wake County, struggled with a declining population and low test scores, even as the surrounding area grew. A face lift and a new curriculum increased enrollment and raised science EOG scores to above the Wake County average.

Alpha & Omega Group has been named a winner of the American Council of Engineering Companies - NC Grand Award for 2020. Below is the text of the nomination, written by staff member Nancy Cummings.

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“The result of this major renovation and new construction project on a very tight site is beautiful, functional and is providing a wonderful place for our students to learn and grow.”

Marcella Rorie
Director of Facility Planning and Design
Wake County Public School System

Lincoln Heights Elementary, a 50-year-old neighborhood school in southern Wake County, had struggled in recent years. After eliminating a previous magnet program, the school’s enrollment and test scores dropped, even as population in the town of Fuquay-Varina grew. The school was in a low-income area and had one of the highest rates of free and reduced lunches in the county. “The majority of Lincoln Heights Elementary’s building structures had existed since the 1960s,” said John Ramsay, AIA, principal at GMK Associates, the architectural firm and prime consultant on the project. “The last major renovation was completed in the 1990s. Fuquay-Varina needed a 21st Century School where there was a 1960s school.“

The team designed and constructed a modern two-story instructional building, a new administrative wing, multipurpose room, cafeteria and kitchen, four interactive, outdoor learning spaces designed to better engage students, a more efficient carpool drop-off area, new playground and a new bus loop.

To turn things around, the school adopted a new magnet program theme, Environmental Connections, to teach students to collaborate, think critically, make hypotheses and solve problems while experiencing the outdoors. To create more opportunities for learning outside on the crowded campus, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) embarked upon a multi-year renovation project.

Alpha & Omega Group (A&O), a civil, structural and water resources engineering services firm in Raleigh, provided civil-site engineering services for the project, as part of GMK Associates’ team. The outcome increased enrollment and enhanced the school’s overall perception in the community.

A&O’s Role

The multi-stage project spanned two school years, during which selected existing buildings were demolished, while others were renovated and incorporated into the new 90,000 square-foot layout. A&O provided a master site plan, site demolition, erosion and sediment control, grading, drainage, stormwater management, and water and sanitary sewer layout design. In addition, A&O worked with the Town of Fuquay-Varina to widen a section of an adjacent public street, add new curb and gutter, sidewalk and piped storm drainage and add turn lanes at two offsite intersections to manage traffic arriving and departing from the school. All three phases of the construction project were completed while students attended classes onsite.

Innovative Techniques

In addition to providing engineering know-how for improvements, A&O’s engineers incorporated creative concepts into their designs to illustrate valuable lessons about our environment. A&O’s “Mountains to Sea” courtyard design adapted stormwater management techniques to simulate a “riverbed” that captures stormwater from its source of bigger rocks, or “mountains,” directs it downstream under a pedestrian bridge, through graduated sizes of smaller rocks, and finally exits it to the “sea,” a nearby bio-retention pond.

Another outdoor learning space features strategically-placed rain barrels, raised garden beds, and composting bins for scrap and yard waste, to illustrate the continuous growing cycle and the importance of conserving and re-using our renewable resources.

An aerial view of the “Mountains to the Sea” learning space shows the route of water flow from bigger rocks at the bottom (mountains) to gradually smaller rocks, under a bridge (center) and to a storm drain (top center), exiting to a nearby bio-retention pond (the sea).

Tree stumps at the “Mountains to the Sea” learning space provide flexible seating for students to gather, observe and interact. A rain gauge charts the amount of rainfall and helps students learn how weather affects our day-to-day environment.

Value to the Engineering Profession

A&O engineers used a rain barrel, raised gardening beds and composting bins to illustrate the continuous growing cycle, and the importance of conserving water resources.

Incorporating lessons into our engineering designs advances the engineering profession by passing the mantle to the next generation of engineers. A 2019 New York Times article, “Can Climbing Trees Replace Preparing for Tests?” notes a nationwide downward trend in outdoor learning time for elementary school children. The rise of nature-based curricula like Lincoln Heights Elementary’s reflects documented benefits that cross educational disciplines to encompass not only the natural sciences, but also reading, writing, physics and social studies skills and increase overall learning.

The Lincoln Heights Elementary project challenges engineers to design solutions that go beyond pre-defined physical structures and answer questions such as “How can we make this solution more meaningful to our client audience and the community as a whole?” and “What can stormwater management teach us about a living, moving, changing and self-sustaining environment?”

“Taking learning outside in different spaces gives [the students] the opportunity to think better . . . I can see the increase in engagement by 100 percent."

Carl Gillispie, Teacher
Lincoln Heights Elementary School

Social, Economic, and Sustainability Considerations

Elevating Lincoln Heights Elementary to an Environmental Connections magnet not only brought environmental learning to life, it also advanced the four Cs – communication, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity – a key focus area of the Wake County Public School System’s strategic plan. “I can see the increase in creativity among students and teachers,” said Cari Gillispie, a second-grade teacher whose children attended Lincoln Heights Elementary before and after the renovation. “Taking learning outside in different spaces gives them the opportunity to think better. I can see the increase in engagement by 100 percent. I can see that the spaces are welcoming to parents, and I can see that citizens in the community are prouder now of their neighborhood school.”

Complexity

This covered, interior playground provides a safe, self-contained learning space for special needs students.

The challenge for GMK Associates and A&O was to double the capacity for the student population on an already tight campus and ensure that students, teachers and construction personnel could co-exist during the entire process. To accomplish this, the project was conducted in multiple phases over two school years:

• The initial phase of construction included adding a two-story building adjacent and connected to an existing building. Students, teachers, and administrative tasks like cafeteria service were combined in an existing building during this stage of the project.

• During phase 2, classes were moved to the newly constructed building, while demolition occurred on older parts of the campus and a new administrative wing, multipurpose room, cafeteria and kitchen were built.

• Phase 3 included final demolition of older buildings, a new carpool drop-off area, outdoor learning spaces, a new playground and a new bus loop.

Throughout the project, fencing and plexiglass windows were placed at strategic locations to maintain safety while offering an opportunity for students to observe and make a connection between the design and construction phases. Engineers also visited other elementary schools to observe how site elements helped students learn outdoors. They used this experience to evolve the outdoor learning spaces as construction progressed.

“Being outdoors has made a huge difference in academic outcomes for all grade levels. It’s all been positive. When I came here in April 2017, we barely had three kindergarten classes. Now there are five, and if enrollment keeps increasing at this level, we may have to add a sixth.”

Kim Grant, Principal
Lincoln Heights Elementary
Environmental Connections Magnet

After learning about the growing cycle, students are encouraged to give back to the community. A field trip can include choosing their best produce and taking it to the nearby Fuquay-Varina Farmer’s Market.

Exceeding Client Needs

A&O’s six core values – relationships, trust, teamwork, servant attitudes, stewardship, and excellence – are exemplified in our approach to the Lincoln Heights Elementary school renovation.

A&O worked closely with the architect and the Wake County Public School System staff to successfully navigate and obtain approvals from the multiple review agencies involved in this complex project. The final contract price of $22,538,420 was only a 1.99% increase over the guaranteed maximum price and was due to owner-requested changes and project scope creep. “A&O’s efficient delivery of a design solution contributed to the project being on time and helped fulfill the owner’s requirement of completion during the regular educational calendar,” added Ramsay.

The Lincoln Heights Elementary project has become a new benchmark for excellence when evaluating the performance of other Wake County Public School System projects. According to Marcella Rorie, WCPSS Director of Facility Planning and Design, “The result of this major renovation and new construction project on a very tight site is beautiful, functional and is providing a wonderful place for our students to learn and grow.”

“With flexible work spaces and the availability to move around, collaborate with one another, and incorporate new technology, our students are able to move into the next generation,” says Kim Grant, Lincoln Heights Elementary’s current principal. “After one full year since the renovation and change in curriculum, enrollment has shot up tremendously and so has our perception in the community. Before the renovation, we had some of the lowest test scores in the county. Now our school is outperforming Wake County in science EOG scores. We are truly blessed.” Ω