Julie Swartz, Author at Prairie Construction

October 20, 2020 Julie Swartz Company News

Prairie Construction Employee Appreciation

The Prairie Construction team a few weeks ago with an employee appreciation lunch where several employees were honored for their loyalty and dedication to Prairie Construction.

Among them was Steve Vencil, who celebrated 30 years with Prairie Construction!

Each of these dedicated employees have helped Prairie Construction achieve our goals, develop relationships, and truly made an impact on our company. We recognize how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to celebrate the longevity of employees who are dedicated to our company, and we hope they feel our true appreciation.

Thanks for your commitment to Prairie Construction!

October 15, 2020 Julie Swartz Current Projects

West Shores Event Center

Prairie Construction has been busy in West Shores!

This summer, we broke ground on the 43,000 square foot building that will be anchored by A View West Shores, a large event venue. The building, which is the first commercial property in West Shore, will also include a restaurant and space for retailers or professional offices.

The residential subdivision in Waterloo was developed 20 years ago and includes 300 lots for homes and a 203-acre sand-bottom lake.

We are working with Avant Architects on this project. The footings have been installed and the structured steel is going up. You can learn more about the project HERE.

The project has a strict deadline – the venue is reserved for its first wedding on May 8^th!

September 28, 2020 Julie Swartz Uncategorized

Robert Sturm Welcome Center Dedicated at Westside High School

Prairie Construction attended a dedication of the Robert B. Sturm Welcome Center at Westside High School last week.

We broke ground on the construction of the new student entrance at Westside High School. The project included a glass-enclosed vestibule and reception area designed to streamline student entrance and provide added security features to the main entrance of the school.

The welcome center is named for Westside alum and well-respected philanthropist Robert Sturm, who was a major donor for the project.

The space, which was officially dedicated last week, has already welcomed hundreds of Westside students since the 2020/21 school year began in August.

September 21, 2020 Julie Swartz Current Projects

Prairie Participates in a Restoration Project at St. John’s

St. John’s Catholic Church has been welcoming visitors and students on the campus of Creighton University since its dedication in 1881. Thousands of people have passed through the doors of the beautiful church over the decades.

Time and elements have taken a toll on those iconic front doors, and they were in need of restoration. Removing the massive doors is no small project, due to their size and weight.

The Prairie Construction team was called in to help with the job. A crane was used to slowly and carefully remove the 5-foot wide doors and place them on a truck so they could be transported to the painter. After they have been restored and painted, the Prairie Construction crew will bring them back to campus and reinstall them on the front of the church.

This was a fun project, and we look forwarding to the returning the restored doors to their home soon!

September 4, 2020 Julie Swartz Current Projects

Update on Elkhorn Middle School #5

Last year, we shared the news that we had broken ground on the new middle school for Elkhorn Public Schools. The school is scheduled to welcome students through its doors in the fall of 2021.

Elkhorn Middle School #5, located at 183^rd & Ida St. will accommodate the continued growth in the fifth largest school district in the state.

With the help of a large tent over the project, the Prairie Construction crew continued work on the school throughout the winter. Concrete walls and slabs, steel erection, roofing and utilities have kept our crews and subcontractors busy, and we are pleased to report that the project is still on schedule for all deadlines.

Prairie Construction has built numerous schools in the Omaha metro area, and we get excitement from each unique project. We strive to create safe, beautiful schools that foster a love of learning for students.

We will continue to share updates on Elkhorn Middle School #5!

August 13, 2020 Julie Swartz Current Projects

Prairie Construction Partners with the Westside Foundation

Prairie Construction proudly partnered with the Westside Foundation to expand their childcare services.

The Foundation supports early childhood education for the Westside School District through preschool programs and before and after school care.

The most recent child care center for the district was opened in the former Countryside Church, which was purchased by Corum Deo. The Foundation formed a partnership with Corum Deo to designate the lower level of the church for a child care center.

Converting the former Church basement into a space suitable and up to code for a child care center required a complete redesign of the space. The design included the renovation of four classrooms, two preschool rooms and bathrooms designed for preschool-age children. The floors needed to be raised in the new bathrooms to meet code for educational purposes and the entire space was refreshed and remodeled.

The Westside Foundation uses private funds to support continued improvements of educational programs offered by Westside Community Schools. Prairie Construction is proud to partner again with the Westside Foundation, and look forward to additional projects in the future!

July 31, 2020 Julie Swartz Current Projects

New Westside District Child Care Center

Prairie Construction proudly partnered with the Westside Foundation to expand their childcare services.

The Foundation supports early childhood education for the Westside School District through preschool programs and before and after school care.

Converting the former Church basement into a space suitable and up to code for a child care center required a complete redesign of the space. The design included the addition of four classrooms, two preschool rooms and bathrooms designed for preschool-age children. The floors needed to be raised to meet code for educational purposes and the entire space was refreshed and remodeled.

June 15, 2020 Julie Swartz Current Projects

Added Security to Westside High School Student Entrance

Westside High School students will notice some changes at the school when they return in the Fall.

Prairie Construction is taking advantage of the slower summer months to continue with some essential upgrades to Westside High School.

Last summer, we added glass wall partitions to the existing concrete walls in the main entry and commons area of the school. A glass entryway was installed to separate the commons area from a hallway. The glass dividers provide added security while maintaining the open feel of the original design.

This summer, we are adding additional security to the building with the construction of a glass-enclosed vestibule. The new reception space will be right inside the main entrance to the school, and a single exterior door will be added for exclusive entry to the building after 8 a.m. when school is in session.

Safety and security are top priorities for schools, and Prairie Construction has extensive experience in this area. Security features are a key component to the design of numerous schools we have built over the last several years, and we have added upgraded security features to several existing schools.

The steel structures have been installed at Westside High School, and we anticipate the completion of this project in the next few weeks. Stop back for an update if you can’t wait until the start of the 2020/21 school year to see the finished project!

June 3, 2020 Julie Swartz Company News

Steve Vencil Celebrates 30 Years!

Prairie Construction recently celebrated the 30^th anniversary of one of our first employees – Steve Vencil.

Steve joined the Prairie team as Paul and Frank were just building Prairie Construction. Steve brought his extensive experience as a construction and iron worker, and even a four-year stint as a stockbroker, to the Prairie team. Steve’s expertise in ironworking made him a crucial member of our early team, and he has played a vital role in numerous projects over the years.

Steve is now a trusted project superintendent for a variety of projects. He has managed jobs all over town, and has been a key player on many of the school projects we have completed. The addition of the third base grandstand at Rosenblatt Stadium is one of Steve’s favorite projects. Despite battling significant rain that threatened completion by the deadline – the start of the College World Series. Under Steve’s leadership – we completed the project before deadline!

These days you’ll find Steve at Mahoney State Park. He’s been there since last Fall when we broke ground on the Event Facility Project. Steve finds the quiet peace and rolling acres of the park a nice change of pace from other projects he’s been involved with.

“You don’t find guys like Steve everyday,” said Steve Rease. “He does a great job managing projects onsite, and our crews and subcontractors love working with him, and you always know where you stand with him.”

His experience is invaluable, but it’s his dedication to the team, commitment to quality work and personality that make him irreplaceable. You always know where you stand with Steve.

“I love working at Prairie Construction, this is a just a great group of hard-working guys,” said Steve. “You don’t see younger guys going into construction like they used too, and that’s too bad because this is a great career!”

Thank you, Steve for 30 years of dedicated service to Prairie Construction!

May 20, 2020 Julie Swartz Current Projects

New Facility at Mahoney State Park

The state parks in Nebraska have been closed for several weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been activity at Mahoney State Park.

Prairie Construction broke ground on a new group rental facility project at the park last October, and a transformation of the space has been taking shape ever since.

The project began with the demolition of the existing Riverview Lodge facility to make way for a larger, more modern rental facility that can accommodate up to 300 people. The new space will include a bridal room and will be ideal for weddings and family reunions.

Before construction of the new facility could begin, the ground elevation in the area needed to be completely transfigured. In some spaces, dirt was moved as much as 17 feet higher or lower to prepare for the new, larger facility and parking lot.

Footings are in and concrete has been poured for the approximately 15,000 square foot facility. The new building will wrap around two existing oak trees, and the park’s iconic observation tower will stand next to it, continuing to tower over the highest spot of the park. Spectacular views from the building of the Platte River will make this a popular spot for weddings, reunions and large group functions.

The first wedding in the facility is scheduled for January and we are excited to get walls up and a roof on the new space. Check back for updates and progress on this project!