Successful teamwork was the key to Crooker Construction’s completion of Morse High School and Bath Regional Career and Technical Center in RSU 1, in Bath. From design to engineering to quarrying to construction, Crooker built a team of professionals who seamlessly coordinated with each other and with the community, earning The new three-story, 186,000-sq.ft. The high school and technical center accommodates 650 students, and the site includes a new artificial turf athletic field, parking for 285 cars, a new pedestrian and bicycle path, and a new span bridge.

 Working with and because of COVID-19 restrictions, Crooker provided opportunities for community input and site visits, and early student use of the athletic field. This cooperative spirit earned praise from RSU 1, the architects, and other stakeholders.

CHALLENGING SITE

A big challenge was the need to remove 500,000 cubic yards of rock. As part of the project team, Maine Drilling and Blasting developed an innovative plan to make ledge cuts of up to 80 feet deep in a  single pass, allowing for 10,000 to 15,000 CY shots, two or three times per week. This meant relocating three crushing spreads and heavy equipment every other day. Existing bedrock materials were crushed and produced on-site, limiting congestion and wear and tear on public roadways, and reducing off-site decibel levels. In addition to 70- to 80-foot cuts and 70-foot fills, Crooker also dealt with a 40-foot-deep pocket of soft marine clay in the middle of the building pad, adjacent to 40-foot ledge cuts, and another area under the abutment near a bridge approach ramp. Because the building and site work were separate contracts, groundwork could begin before the design was complete, accelerating the project.

 During the two-and-a-half-year project, Crooker had to control erosion, sedimentation, and dust for the 1,000,0000 SF of exposed soil, and contain sediment in Mill Pond, which bisected a large portion of the site.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

As a high school, technical center, and athletic facility, this structure is a center of community life, so involving stakeholders was a priority. Crooker involved the community from the beginning of the project, with information sessions about the process and timeline. RSU 1 staff, building committee members, school board members, educators, students, and the public attended a groundbreaking ceremony. Crooker held guided tours during the construction, including to First Responders, and provided PPE and education about developing the large, complex site. When COVID-19 restrictions meant that student-athletes needed outdoor practice space, Crooker made the new artificial turf field safely available prior to final site completion. After completion, Crooker donated a scoreboard for the new field.

SAFETY

With the amount and frequency of blasting, especially on a steep slope, safety was an even bigger priority than usual and necessitated elaborate coordination with subcontractors through project-specific planning and strategic scheduling. Crooker is proud to have achieved zero lost-time injuries in 105,000 total work hours, thanks to experienced and skilled employees and subcontractors.

PROJECT TEAM

OWNER: REGIONAL SCHOOL UNIT 1, BATH – SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, PATRICK MANUEL

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Jim Harford, Project Manager

David Lewis, DOE Representative

Architect: Lavallee Brensinger Architects

Ron Lamarre, Design Principal

 Cuyler Feagles, Clerk of The Works

SITE CIVIL ENGINEER: SEBAGO TECHNICS

Kylie Mason, Project Manager

Craig Burgess, PE

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER: SW COLE ENGINEERING

 Tim Boyce, PE, Project Manager

BRIDGE ENGINEER: CALDERWOOD ENGINEERING

Eric Calderwood, PE

PRIME CONTRACTOR: CROOKER CONSTRUCTION, LLC

Thomas C Sturgeon, PE, President & CEO

Rick Powers, Senior Project Manager

Dale Spratt, Site Superintendent

Craig Kroot, General Superintendent

Shoshanna Starks, Project Engineer

Richard Morgan, Crushing Superintendent

Ian Pinette, Project Manager/Drone Specialist

Aaron Sayler, QC Manager

Richard Perkins (ret), Safety Director

SPECIAL CONSULTANTS:

John Paradis (Nortrax)

David Wentworth (Whitney & Sons)

KEY SUBCONTRACTORS:

Maine Drilling & Blasting

Todd Beaulieu, General Superintendent

Jim Purington, Site Superintendent

Goodwin Well & Water Inc.

 Scott Abbotts, President

Jesse Goodwin, Superintendent

Wyman & Simpson, Inc.

Paul Berube, Project Manager

Don Pratt, Superintendent

Dirigo Slipform

Jay Shorette, President

Kevin Wright, Project Manager

Main Line Fence Co

Ray Clark, Guardrail Install Foreman

Chuck Maselli, Fence Install Foreman

Thirsty Turf Irrigation, Inc

Josh Doucette, President

Andy Cary, Superintendent

NET Sports Group

Wendy Dawson, Project Manager

Helical Drilling

Derek Simpson, PE, Project Manager

Craig Harris, Superintendent

Bark Brothers

George & Kevin Janosco, Owners

KEY SUPPLIERS:

Precast Concrete Products of Maine

Branielle Bergeron, General Manager

Doug Moore, Project Manager

Everett J Prescott, Inc.

Jason Chadwick, Project Manager