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!

 

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Welcome Nighthawks to Elkhorn North Ridge Middle School

Elkhorn North Ridge Middle School welcomed students for the first time when the school year started a few weeks ago.

Prairie Construction has built many schools in the Omaha metro area, and each one is unique. North Ridge, located at 183rd & Ida St. in Elkhorn, was constructed with state-of-the-art safety features and design, and is proving to be fully functional for students.

Here is an inside look at some of our favorite spots in the school.

Have a great school year Nighthawks!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Current Projects, Uncategorized

Update on Elkhorn Middle School Project

We continue to make progress on the construction of the new middle school for the Elkhorn Public Schools.

Elkhorn North Ridge Middle School will welcome its first students through its doors in less than a month. Here’s a unique look at the progress!

Elkhorn North Ridge is located at 183rd & Ida St. and will accommodate the continued growth in the fifth largest school district in the state.

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Skyrocketing Lumber Costs are Starting to Ease

We have good news for those of you planning a construction project……the cost of lumber is starting to fall!

Since the pandemic began, we’ve heard a lot about high demand and low supply for everything from toilet paper and Clorox wipes to groceries and vehicles. We saw a huge increase in the demand for things like lumber, and an even bigger increase in the costs for lumber and building supplies.

According to the Labor Department’s producer price index, lumber prices more than doubled from May 2020 to May 2021. The National Association of Home Builders says the price tripled in just 12 months.

Americans spent more time at home over the last year, contributing to an increase in home improvement and new construction projects. Adding to that, restrictions due to COVID-19 slowed production at sawmills. This increased demand and reduced supply resulted in skyrocketing prices for lumber.

We are finally starting to see an easing of high lumber prices. Americans are going back to work and things are slowly returning to “normal”. While we may not see a return to pre-pandemic pricing for some time, we are seeing improvements in lumber and building supplies pricing.

If you put off your construction project because of the increased pricing, now might be a good time to put the plans back on the books. The team at Prairie Construction is ready to help!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Welcome to Omaha, CWS fans!

We are big baseball fans at Prairie Construction – This is one of our favorite times of year in Omaha, and we are so happy to see the series back in full swing this year!

If you are new to Omaha, or you haven’t been back for a few years, things might look a little different to you. There has been a construction boom in Omaha in recent years and Prairie Construction has played a big role in development near the stadium.

If you take a stroll just west of TD America on Cuming St., you’ll see Prairie Construction’s mark throughout Creighton University’s campus, notably the new Facilities Management Building on 18th & Burt St. We’ve also been busy with work in the Medical School and Health Sciences Library on campus as well.

If you head southeast from the stadium, take a trip over the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge to Council Bluffs, IA. It’s a beautiful bridge with a spectacular view of the Missouri River, and it’s fun to be able to say you were in 2 states at the same time – you’ll see the state line marking about halfway across the bridge.

For a little extra fun, make a stop under the pedestrian bridge – yes, that is a giant blue troll! Helping the city transport and install the troll to his new home under the bridge was a fun project for the Prairie Construction team, definitely different from our typical projects.

Enjoy your stay in Omaha, or just your visit downtown, good luck to all the teams, and we hope to see you back in Omaha soon – you never know what will be new by the next time you visit!