At John Muir Language Academy, which hosts students from kindergarten to 8th grade, all existing buildings are undergoing renovation. Photo Credit: domusstudio architecture/ Baker Nowicki Design Studio

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C.W. Driver Modernizes Pair of San Diego Schools

School News 3650 Views , ,

By Eric Althoff

SAN DIEGO—General contractor C.W. Driver Companies is hard at work on two modernization projects for the San Diego Unified School District at La Jolla Elementary School and the John Muir Language Academy.

At La Jolla Elementary, which serves students from kindergarten to 5th grade, upgrades are being made to existing classrooms and an existing kitchen will be remodeled. New construction entails a two-story administration and classroom building, as well as new classrooms, cafeteria and various other elements. The new administration and classroom building will allow for a single point of entry to the campus. Furthermore, upgrades will be made to the school’s classroom technology capabilities. On the exterior, the parking lot will be expanded and an area dedicated to student drop-off added as well.

C.W. Driver is working in concert with Domusstudio Architecture, the architect of record, at La Jolla Elementary. The project is partially funded by moneys set aside by Prop S, Z and YY bonds. Construction is expected to be finished in 2024.

At John Muir, which hosts students from kindergarten to 8th grade, all existing buildings are undergoing renovation. Furthermore, C.W. Driver will be adding a two-story classroom and physical education structure, as well as an administration wing. The kindergarten and kitchen areas will be expanded and the parking and drop-off areas reconfigured for maximum efficiency as well. A new parking area specifically for staff is being added too.

Architect of record Baker Nowicki Design Studio is working on John Muir with C.W. Driver. Construction; now underway, the work is projected to end in 2023.

Keith Kauffman, project executive at C.W. Driver Companies, said that his firm is excited to be partnering with the San Diego Unified School District on updating schools throughout the county.

“We will leverage our extensive experience in building education facilities to deliver an engaging, collaborative environment while minimizing the impact of construction on students, faculty and staff,” Kauffman said in a statement.

“As the second-largest district in California serving more than 121,000 students in preschool through grade 12, providing optimized learning environments for our students is a top priority,” added Lee Dulgeroff, chief facilities planning and construction officer at San Diego Unified School District. “We are confident that C.W. Driver Companies’ modernizations of La Jolla Elementary and John Muir Language Academy will enhance the educational experience and prepare our students for the future.”

C.W. Driver Companies has completed nearly 200 ground-up and modernization projects across Southern California, including educational projects that include Woodbridge High School’s Performing Arts Complex for the Irvine Unified School District, Flintridge Preparatory School’s Bachmann Collaboration Building in La Cañada Flintridge, as well as work for Menifee Unified School District. The contractor also built a brand-new K-5 school for San Diego Unified School District in the Mission Valley area of the city.

C.W. Driver’s Southern California offices include Los Angeles, Irvine, Rancho Cucamonga, Anaheim, San Diego and Carlsbad. The company was ranked in Engineering News Record’s top 150 General Contractors and top 100 Construction Managers.