The Boldt Company Builds Ultimate Green Project | The Boldt Company

A green facelift at a private college will solve circulation problems, aid in campus wayfaring and give a much needed upgrade to the campus’ front door.

Lakeland College is undergoing a phased in construction plan to upgrade wayfinding through the grounds of the 150-year old school. Located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the college wanted to create opportunities for students and faculty to mingle and enjoy Lakeland’s beautiful setting. But over the years, the main entrance was plagued by spring flooding and landscaping had overgrown obscuring many historic buildings including Old Main hall, the building most identified with the college. College leaders brought a construction into restoration discussions early.

"We simply wanted an organization we were already familiar with and had the in-house design and planning capabilities to work seamlessly with our architect," said Lakeland president Stephen Gould.

But the beauty needed to go more than skin deep and The Boldt Company was called in to solve some significant problems for the school. The Boldt Company is one of the country’s top firms in sustainable construction services for higher education. Boldt is at the forefront of constructing campus facilities to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards and the firm has many LEED Accredited Professionals and individuals with Green Advantage Certifications on its design and construction staff to support that effort.

"Boldt brings tested project management experience to a project like this. If anyone can bring this project in on budget and on time, it’s Boldt," Gould said.

That job fell to Boldt project manager Nick Mueller. Mueller said Boldt’s solution was to work with landscape architects and the college to use innovative construction practices but keep the historic look of the campus.

"When we’re finished with this, it will look like something that’s always been there--a seamless expanse," Mueller said.

The first task was to improve drainage at the entrance so spring flooding didn’t turn the walkway into a lake—and that involved re-routing a stream. Mueller said they worked closely with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for extensive permitting, then engineered a bridge over the stream for the new main entrance.

The bridge was designed to look like it had been in place for decades, yet used modern day construction. First, crews created a berm to maintain the original stream but lined the new stream bed with ledge stone and native adaptive plants. Next, crews excavated to drive pile supports for the bridge so it would withstand full traffic loads. The bridge was created with pre-cast side panels and beams, but is completely veneered with stone to match the stream outcroppings and topped with both architectural precast stone and period lighting. Once over the bridge, visitors to the campus will walk on a new grand lawn and gather in an outdoor plaza complete with a fountain and adjacent seated gathering space.

To match the natural look of Wisconsin’s landscapes, crews created random boulder outcroppings. "We may have put the hardscaping there, but our goal was to make the improvements look more like the work of the glaciers than the work of Boldt," Mueller said.

The entire project calls for consolidating entrances to the campus and increasing signage for wayfinding. It will be completed in October 2011.

For more information, please visit www.theboldtcompany.com.

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The Boldt Company, located in Madison, Wisconsin has 12 offices throughout the United States and is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin. The firm provides professional construction services to customers in a variety of industrial, institutional, healthcare, commercial and renewable energy markets nationwide. www.boldt.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Mary Schmidt
Phone: 920-284-7165
Email: mkschmidt@centurytel.net
OR
Patrick Casey
Phone: 920-225-6159
Email: Patrick.Casey@Boldt.com