Overview + Key Features
This project involved the construction of a new 142-space parking lot, complete with new landscaping and lawns, as well as the renovation of all existing student and staff parking lots, including updated landscaping and lawns. We were contracted through the general contractor for the irrigation, rock and paver walls, planting beds, and grass area. Some parts of the project involved adding new green spaces, and other areas were total renovations of existing green spaces. The project consisted of working on multiple areas of the campus simultaneously. This was done by effectively scheduling materials, crews, and vendors to maximize our output and quality. The project was run by one project executive, one project manager and an onsite project manager.

​Challenges
The work was completed in two phases. Phase one began in early February with sitework, followed by irrigation installation, site finishes, and landscaping. Spring planting was completed before phase two began.

Phase two focused on renovating the existing parking lots but couldn’t start until school let out for summer. That created a tight timeline (fall planting had to be completed within a two week window before the start of the new school year).

One part of the project involved a rock wall. The rock walls were to be built using the rock that was onsite from earth clearing. This caused multiple challenges from the size, shape, colors, and having to sort through the piles of rock to find suitable pieces for each wall. The crew overcame this by having the general contractor split some of the bigger rocks into small, manageable pieces. We also purchased rock pallets to supplement the shapes and sizes needed.
 
Additionally, there were multiple areas that were difficult to access for installing large trees. We overcame this by thinking outside the box and using different equipment that would have normally not been used for the task. Areas of no-mow seed were installed, which takes a significantly longer time to establish, leaving bare spots. We used the annual rye seed in the mixture for the grass effect until no-mow started to germinate.

​Solution
To stay ahead of schedule, our team partnered closely with the site contractor to gain early access in March and begin irrigation. Starting irrigation early allowed every subsequent step to move forward sooner. We completed 100% of the mainline and valve box installation and began planting on April 1. Coordinating with the design team to get all plant materials approved, selected, and delivered by that date required significant effort.

All planting was completed by mid-May, which gave us just enough time to seed before the June cutoff.
For phase two, we identified areas that didn’t require regrading. The school allowed us to start planting in those zones during the spring, which helped balance the overall workload. With much of the prep work already done, the remaining landscaping for phase two was smooth and manageable.

End Result
The project was completed on schedule, and all new parking areas were ready for use when students and staff returned in the fall. The general contractor and the school were extremely happy with our work. With the multiple layers of work completed, our crew performed and exceeded expectations. All contractual obligations were met within a tight timeline. The job was successful due to management and staff overcoming all obstacles.