Canadian Valley Technology Center
El Reno Campus Tornado Reconstruction
On May 31, 2013, one of the largest tornadoes ever recorded in Oklahoma directly hit the Canadian Valley Technology Center (CVTech), El Reno campus. CMSWillowbrook arrived at CVTech shortly after the storm passed to assess the damage and help the school relocate classrooms and technology to other facilities. Willowbrook has been the construction manager for CVTech for over 20 years. The El Reno campus consisted of nine buildings. There were only two buildings not totally destroyed by the tornado, and the project began with salvaging those structures.
We officially broke ground on Nov. 6, 2014, to start reconstruction of El Reno campus. The only remaining parts of the first salvageable building were the slab, steel columns and roof structure. The reconstructed building is now home to new district administration offices, a boardroom and a breakroom which doubles as a safe room. Adult-only classes, such as practical nursing and the PIVOT program, are also located in this building. This fast-track project was completed in April 2015.
The second building with a salvageable structure now has more than 230,000 square feet of new administrative offices, an event center, and shops for welding, auto body and auto service. The building also includes space for specialized trades such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); electrical and construction trades; diesel technology; and precision machining.
Willowbrook constructed new buildings in place of seven that were destroyed. New classroom learning environments for cosmetology, computer systems, practical nursing and health careers, graphic design, business office and medical office were created with state-of-the-art tools and technology. A new child development center and five multi-purpose tornado safe rooms for 1,300 people were also included in this expansive project. Four additional storm shelters in the building provide approximately 5,700 square feet of usable space which provide extra security during severe weather.
“If you want to work with a first-class construction management company, look no further than Willowbrook. All the staff members have been great to work with, from assisting with bid documents, to insurance negotiations, keeping the financial drawdowns accurate and helping with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements. We couldn’t have begun to get done all of the things that had to be done dealing with the tornado and the aftermath without Willowbrook’s great team of professionals.”
SERVICE
Construction Management Agency
SIZE
238,000 square feet
ARCHITECT
MA+ Architecture
