Tarmac October 2007.pdf - Chaminade High School

BUILDERS BECOME A “BAND OF BROTHERS”
Professionals, Students, and Faculty Complete the AAC Ahead of Schedule
by Tyler White ‘10
N
ot too long ago, an abandoned Ford
dealership stood at the corner of
Jericho Turnpike and Saville
Road. Less than two-and-a-half years
later, Chaminade’s brand-new, 68,354
square-foot Activity-Athletic Center
stands in its place.
A conglomeration of union and nonunion
construction workers, Brothers,
lay faculty members, alumni, and students
collaborated to complete the new
building, which includes a 1,400-seat
basketball arena, a tenth-of-a-mile indoor
track, a 6,987 square-foot wrestling
room, and a 270-seat lecture hall. According
to CHS president Fr. James Williams,
the facility was completed several
months ahead of schedule.
“Fr. James deserves an enormous
amount of credit for coordinating the professional
construction workers with the
Brothers and the student workers. From
what I understand, this kind of joint effort
between professionals and amateurs
is rather unusual in the construction industry,”
said Bro. Stephen Balletta, who
supervised the painting at the site.
“These past two-and-a-half years were a
testimony to Fr. James’ ability to coordinate
the project and motivate many different groups
of people to work together,” he added.
That collaboration was an integral part
of the AAC’s construction – and an embodiment
of Chaminade’s motto, Fortes in
Unitate, Strength in Unity.
“[The tradesmen and the students] had a
very strong relationship, like a father teaching
his son,” said Fr. James. “It was evident
that all the workers enjoyed being a part of
this project by
their attitude
and humor.”
“I remember
when Fr. James, a
few students, a few
Brothers, and I were
working on pouring cement
pads for machines
in the basement,”
said Mr. Bill
Zimmermann, the first
professional laborer on the
job site. “We brought it
down wheelbarrow by
Two construction
workers place an
American flag
atop the AAC,
signifying the
completion
of the steel
frame.
Right: Chris Kuehn ‘06
(l.) and carpenter Tom
Bruder share a laugh as
they take a break from
their work.
Below: Construction workers
suspend aluminum
acoustical panels from
the AAC ceiling.
wheelbarrow, yard by yard, with concrete
weighing 2,100 pounds a yard. Each pad alone
required three yards of cement. We finished our
job in an hour because of all the volunteer help
– an eighth of the time it would have taken professionals
with all the pumps and everything.”
“When we finished, we were all having
pizza. It was an amazing experience that
day, and when I think back on it, it was
like that all during the job,” he added.
Work started on the Activity-Athletic Center
with groundbreaking on April 25, 2005,
and kept at a steady pace throughout. In
January of 2007, the Marianist Community
started showing up in force, lending their
help to the professionals who had been
pouring foundations,
erecting steel, and laying
brick for over a
year and a half.
Initially, the Brothers
cleaned up construction
debris and moved equipment,
reducing the cost
of labor for the job. Several
volunteer groups –
most notably Emmaus
and a number of sports
teams – pitched in as
well, as did many coaches and teachers.
This summer, the Marianist Community and
over 100 paid student and graduate workers
assumed a bigger role, working on everything
from landscaping to painting to carpentry. The
carpenters, for example, covered the wrestlingroom
walls with a sheathing of two-tone
Formica, installed cherry and maple paneling
in the exhibition space and gym lobby, and built
cabinets and lockers for the coaches’ offices.
Meanwhile, the painters trimmed and
rolled in the locker rooms, in stairwells, in
the lecture hall, and in the main arena.
“Every time I drive by 311 Jericho Turnpike,
it feels great to be able to say that I
helped make that building,” said summer
painter Jimmy Kovar ’10. “It makes me feel
even more a part of the Chaminade Family.”
Representatives from all parts of the
Chaminade Family played a vital role in transforming
the AAC from a set of plans to a finished
building. Mr. Thomas Dufek, a member
of the board of advisors, helped with fundraising
and financing for the project. Mr. Joseph
Lucchesi ‘63 drew up the plans and
served as a consultant during construction.
Mr. Timothy Bowe, father of two recent
graduates, donated the services of his company
to install 822 sprinkler heads. The
sprinkler equipment itself was provided by
Mr. Michael Fee ’75, owner of The Reliable
Automatic Sprinkler Company.
See “AAC Construction,” page 18.
Tarmac • October 2007 ACTIVITY-ATHLETIC CENTER
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