On the Fly Problem Solving and Collaboration Create Success against Odds

Background and Goals

St. Rose Elementary is part of the non-profit Messmer Catholic Schools and is located on 31st Street in the heart of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. St. Rose Elementary became part of the Messmer schools in 2007, offering a faith-based college preparatory curriculum for a diverse and urban population of elementary aged children.StRose2.jpg To help these students achieve, St. Rose needed upgrades that far surpassed the budget.

Strategy

The construction team, including electrical construction and design-build experts from Lemberg, prioritized the work into phases to spread out the interruption and the expense for the school. 

Lemberg’s electrical team proposed a new list of essentials – including updated electrical service -- that would accommodate the technical needs of the school and fall within a reasonable budget. They collaborated with leadership and other trade providers to anticipate hidden costs and keep changes to a minimum.

Results

StRose3.jpgThe Messmer/St. Rose mid-summer site conditions were difficult and uncomfortable. Frequent roadblocks meant the teams had to make on-site adjustments in order to stay within the production timeline. Changes and issues for one trade created a chain-reaction down the line to the other trades, keeping each team of tradesmen in a constant state of flux. The electrical team from Lemberg stayed positive and proactive, tackling problems as they arose and staying ahead of issues.

Impact

A combination of great, proactive field work, timely reactions to issues, and good communications was key for keeping costs to the customer and general contractor down. The collaboration between all trades, the non-profit, and the general contractor provided economical solutions for the customer. The school is now equipped with upgraded power sources to support its technical curriculum. The upgrades will help with recruitment efforts and set the school up to serve a wider community.♦