Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Uncategorized

Sheltering Tree in Papillion

The City of Papillion held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 7 at the site of the new Sheltering Tree location. Prairie Construction is proud to be the construction company chosen for this important project.

Sheltering Tree, Inc. creates and operates affordable, quality apartments for adults with developmental disabilities to assist them in achieving maximum independence, lead productive and fulfilling lives, build friendships, belong to, and contribute to the greater community in which they live.

The Papillion site, located just south of Shadow Lake Towne Center at 72nd and Ponderosa Drive, will be the third Sheltering Tree location in the Omaha metro area.

You can learn more about this project here and check our blog for updates on this exciting project!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Uncategorized

Another Reason to Work for Prairie Construction

If you or someone you know if looking for a rewarding career in construction, here’s another reason to consider working for Prairie Construction.

We are a successful, established, local construction company – and we value our employees!

Last week, we held our quarterly Employee Appreciation Celebration where we honored employees celebrating milestone anniversaries and significant accomplishments with Prairie Construction.

Prairie Construction understands the importance of the work/life balance. We take care of our employees, and value each member of our team. 

We’re looking for qualified construction management professionals who have a desire to work for a smaller but powerful local company.

If you or someone you know is looking for a new job in construction, email steve@prairie-construction. Head over to our website prairie-construction.com to learn more about our culture.

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Uncategorized

Springtime at Prairie Construction – We are Hiring!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Prairie Construction.

March is here and that means the start of the college basketball tournament. 

We love the excitement of the competition, the rivalries, the upsets and the bracket busters – and we love that Spring is here!

This year we’re participating on the radio. During the tournament listen for our new Prairie Construction radio commercials on 1620 The Zone. We are gearing up for a busy Spring and Summer and adding to our staff –  WE ARE HIRING!

If you or someone you know is looking for a new job in construction, email steve@prairie-construction. Head over to our website prairie-construction.com to learn more about our culture.

We’re looking for qualified construction management professionals that want to work for a smaller but powerful local company. Prairie Construction understands the importance of the work, life balance. We take care of our employees. 

Enjoy the Madness!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Current Projects

Update on Bennington Elementary School

Last Spring we announced the launch of another school project for Prairie Construction – a new elementary school in the Bennington School District.

We are pleased to share an update that the school will officially be named Stratford Elementary. The school is located at the southwest corner of 168th & Military and will welcome approximately 500 students in August for the 2022/23 school year. The school is close to 68,000 square feet.

The elementary school was recently featured in an Omaha World Herald article, along with an update on the new Bennington Middle School. The Prairie Construction team has been hard at work on the elementary school, and we are on deadline to complete the project in June or July of 2022.

The Prairie Construction team is skilled at building schools. We understand the planning and coordination required to meet safety standards and complete the project on deadline and on budget. We are proud to be in the homestretch of another school in the Omaha metro area.

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Current Projects

WarSader Shield Tradition Begins

We love a good rivalry!

The girls’ basketball teams from Omaha Westside and Omaha Marian were tied at 30 wins each, dating back to 1977, when they met last week on the court. Terry Hanna from the Westside Community Schools Foundation had to the idea to commemorate this epic tiebreaker with a lasting trophy.

The Prairie Construction team was asked to create a special trophy to celebrate the history between the two teams and establish a new tradition. The WarSader Shield – a combination of Warriors and Crusaders – was created.

The Prairie Construction team created the solid oak shield, which weighs 50 pounds. Terry Hanna’s wife added some details to the trophy which will travel back and forth between winners.

The Westside Warriors ended on top after this game, so they are the first team to keep possession of the WarSader, which was signed by the members of both team after the game.

You can read more about the WarSader Shield, and the game here.

We were happy to play a role in this new tradition. It is a fun opportunity for our team to work on unique projects like this!

 

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Prairie Construction Wins ICF Builders Award

Prairie Construction was proud to be recognized by Insulated Concrete Forms Magazine in their annual awards.

Our project for the Ashbury Elementary School in the Papillion/LaVista Public Schools was named runner-up in the Education category of the ICF Builders Awards.

Ashbury Elementary School was built with high-performance ICF wall assembly designed for maximum energy efficiency. This structural design feature allowed our team to continue working throughout the winter, and as a result, the project was competed 3 months faster than a nearby school built with traditional designs.

The 55,000 sq ft elementary school is located in Papillion at 11740 S. 120th St.

You can learn more about our award-winning project here.

Congratulations to everyone on the Prairie Construction team who helped with this beautiful school!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Industry News

Construction in Omaha is Booming

This week, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert shared a major announcement about development projects in downtown Omaha.

A highlight from the mayor’s updates is the addition of a 3-mile streetcar lane from the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus to the riverfront. The streetcar is expected to alleviate parking issues in the booming downtown area and provide convenient transportation.

To make way for the streetcar, Mutual of Omaha is moving its headquarters from Midtown to the current site of the main Omaha Public Library on 14th Street between Farnam and Douglas. The new headquarters will be a 40-plus story skyscraper that could become the tallest building in Omaha.

The Prairie Construction team is excited about these developments, and the commitment to commercial growth in Omaha. In 2019, the Associated General Contractors of America identified Omaha as the nation’s fastest-growing construction market in the US. Construction projects in the Omaha metro area have not since slowed.

Omaha boasts a cost of living that is 7% below the national average. Transportation and logistics industries in the area have kept supply chain issues at less of an issue than other parts of the country, and business costs are lower than other regions. This makes Omaha an attractive location for commercial businesses and provides incentives for local businesses to stay here and grow.

Does your business need more space to accommodate your growth? Ready for an upgrade or renovation to your business? Now might be the time – make 2022 the year to commit to growth and development for your business. Contact the Prairie Construction team to plan your construction project!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Prairie Construction team would like to wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all that we are thankful for, and we feel grateful for all that we have to be thankful for.

Thank you to each of our clients. We are grateful for the trust you have in the Prairie Construction team. Thank you for your business, and your referrals. We look forward to serving and working with you in the future!

We are grateful for the many vendors, partners and subcontractors that we have been fortunate to partner with this year. Thank you for your collaboration, and shared dedication to meeting the client’s needs and deadlines, and to providing quality service on every job.

Finally, we are grateful for every member of the Prairie Construction team. We appreciate your loyalty and dedication, and we are grateful that you share your talents and expertise on every project.

Thank you to each of you who have worked with us, trusted us, and helped us throughout the year. We wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Time to Winterize Your Home

We have enjoyed warmer-than-average temperatures this Fall, but we know winter is coming. The experts at Prairie Construction recommend homeowners take advantage of the last few days of mild temps to get their home ready for the long, cold winter.

  • Drain Your Sprinkler System. If you have an underground sprinkler system, and you have not yet had it drained, it’s time to get that done. It’s also time to disconnect hoses from outdoor water faucets. Water left in pipes can freeze and thaw throughout the winter, causing them to crack or burst, and can potentially cause major damage in your home.
  • Empty Your Gutters. The winds and rain last week brought many of the leaves down from the trees, but chances are good several of them got caught in your home’s gutters before falling to the ground. Get your gutters cleaned out now before the leaves prevent rain and snow from properly draining, leading to freezing. The weight of frozen gutters can cause damage to your roof and siding.
  • Check for Cracks and Gaps. Looks for cracks in the siding and foundation, as well as around windows and doors. Either seal them up or consider looking for services such as Siding Installation in Raleigh, NC, or house repair in your home town, to prevent cold air from coming in and warm air from going out!
  • Weatherproof Doors and Windows. You can lose a lot of energy from door and window, particularly if you live in an older home. Weatherstripping doors and windows, installing
  • Service your Furnace. If you haven’t yet, have your furnace serviced and cleaned by hiring companies such as Hollenbach Home Comfort Services (hollenbachoil.com) to ensure it functions properly throughout the winter. As part of their normal operation, furnaces emit carbon monoxide. In order to ventilate the carbon monoxide outside of your house, it is important to install an exhaust pipe. Professionals from the likes of Air Makers or similar companies can check the exhaust pipe for leaks to make sure all carbon monoxide is leaving your home and your family is not being exposed to it. And if they see anything malfunctioning, they can repair it immediately. This will also give you a chance to see if you need to get anything else in your HVAC unit repaired, or if it might be time for a new furnace soon. And don’t forget about having the chimney cleaned – especially if you plan to use a fireplace this season.

Taking the time now to get your home ready for winter before the cold and snow arrive will go a long way in helping you stay warm, conserve energy and avoid damage to your home.

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Westside Golf Project in the News!

It’s not every day your work is featured in a national publication, and we have to admit – it is pretty cool when it happens!

The Swede Center is an indoor golf practice facility located in Westside High School which was recently featured in Golfweek, part of USA Today.  Add to that, it was a really fun project for the Prairie Construction team!

The simulator sits in what was formerly an unusable space behind the gym. It includes putting, chipping and hitting bays, as well as a locker area and players’ lounge. It is used by District 66 students of all ages.

No other high school in the state – and possibly the country – can boast having a nicer, more state-of-the-art indoor golf practice facility like The Swede Canter. And it appears to be paying off as Westside is producing state champion golfers!

The facility was just one of several recent projects that Prairie Construction has collaborated on with Westside Schools, and we look forward to many more!