Schools
A new school is a haven for learning, discoveries and friendships. The building itself, is just the beginning.
At BuildStrong Education, we take new school development seriously and work collaboratively with all involved.
No two communities are alike and no two school sites are the same size or have the same infrastructure challenges. Everything from the size of the land it can be built on, to the views it will have, to the types and numbers of students it will serve dictates that we work closely with the community, leaders, school districts and more to create customized, optimized solutions.
At the minimum, Oakwood Homes partners with school districts to dedicate land and/or pay cash-in-lieu payments so that districts can purchase land on their own. Once a school site is identified, the Oakwood team, including BuildStrong Education, work with the school district, parks and recreation departments, and local governments to design a school site that maximizes opportunities for students and residents.
Shared sites. Shared perks.
Many school sites are shared sites where school districts share athletic fields with neighboring parks. These “shared use” arrangements allow schools to use the facilities during the day and after school and the community to use them on the weekends and other off-school times. It’s a great example of making the most of the land and also creating a positive connection between community and education. Our Oakwood and BuildStrong Education team helps design shared sites to meet the needs of all partners and most efficiently use resources and infrastructure.
How the process works. And why we’re different.
When developers dedicate land to a school district they must deliver the site with utilities and roads. Sometimes a developer may accelerate these improvements ahead of their business plan in order to accommodate new school development.
Because of our intimate knowledge of construction casts, land development and community contexts, members of the BuildStrong Education and Oakwood Team often volunteer when school districts recruit members for their facility planning committees. It’s these types of committees that develop recommendations which are brought to school boards before bond campaigns and we want to be as knowledgeable and helpful in the process as possible. In addition, Oakwood Homes tries to financially support strong campaigns that will result in new high quality schools and increased resources for classrooms.
The Evie Dennis Campus was the 1st LEED Certified Denver Public School