The new Innovation Center at the Washburn Rural High School (WRHS) in Topeka, Kansas is a cutting-edge addition to the Auburn-Washburn USD 437 District’s educational landscape, designed to serve the needs of the district’s growing Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

The project includes renovation of existing facilities and a new 50,000-square-foot Innovation Center, which includes state-of-the-art spaces for wood and metal shops, a bioscience lab, a robotics lab, and much more. The Innovation Center represents a commitment to enhancing the learning environment for students in the district.

From overcoming logistical challenges on an active campus to working closely with teachers and administrators to ensure the spaces would meet evolving needs, McCownGordon Construction’s goal with this project was to create a lasting, impactful learning space that prepares students for the future.

The decision to expand the CTE space with the new Innovation Center was driven by a need for more modern, flexible, and specialized classrooms and labs that could support the district’s expanding offerings. Currently, the district offers 18 career- and technical-focused programs approved by the Kansas Department of Education, with 75% of eligible students involved in at least one program during their high school years.

The project also included the renovation of existing facilities, such as the Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) area, to ensure that the entire educational experience could be improved, not just the new addition.

Collaborative Approach to Construction

McCownGordon was brought in as the construction manager early on, playing a key role in shaping the project alongside the design team at HTK Architects. The firm’s preconstruction team worked with the architects and the district to refine the design and ensure it would meet the district’s educational goals.

“From the beginning, we were involved in design discussions, and we worked closely with the school’s stakeholders—from maintenance staff to teachers and principals—to make sure we understood the space’s intent and offered constructability feedback throughout the design,” says Clinton Trickey, McCownGordon’s Superintendent on the project.

This early collaboration set the tone for the rest of the project. McCownGordon integrated stakeholders into the conversation and kept communication channels open to ensure that every detail of the Innovation Center, from the layout to the materials used, was fine-tuned to fit the district’s needs.

Unique Construction Characteristics on an Active Campus

One of the key challenges McCownGordon faced was working on a construction site located within an active school campus with more than 2,000 students. The team needed to be mindful of daily school activities and minimize disruption to the students and staff. From traffic management to noise control, the construction team worked to keep the environment safe and operational, even phasing a majority of the build to take place during summer breaks.

As construction began, the team discovered a high-water table, which presented complications when drilling the piers for the new addition. The team had to pump out groundwater to ensure the piers were installed correctly and only drilled what could be completed in a single workday because any open holes would fill with ground water overnight.

The building’s design posed unique challenges. With multiple angles and unique architectural features, the structural steel erection process was more complex than typical buildings. Preinstallation and coordination meetings with multiple trade partners occurred in advance of installation. The entire team worked together to address potential conflicts early, ultimately preventing them from becoming larger issues.

An integrated greenhouse was an essential feature of the facility. But as a delegated design tied into the building’s structure, it needed to be installed to enclose the upper floor of the addition and prevent moisture from entering the building. Once the supplier was secured and details of the greenhouse’s construction requirements were known, the team acted quickly to finalize the design and construction drawings.

Despite these challenges, attention to detail and proactive problem-solving kept the project on track, ensuring that the Innovation Center would meet the district’s needs without compromising scope elements, schedule, budget or quality.

Innovation Meets School Functionality

The materials and construction techniques used in the Innovation Center reflect both the cutting-edge nature of the project and the functional needs of the CTE programs.

The flooring includes both polished concrete and epoxy. The epoxy flooring required more than 50 days to install and fully cure, making sequencing of the project crucial to maintaining the overall schedule. “The epoxy installation was one of the most time-consuming processes,” Trickey says. “But it was essential to the long-term durability of the building, especially in high-traffic areas like the corridors, restrooms, and lab spaces.”

In addition to the functional materials, the design incorporates natural elements like glulam beams and tongue-and-groove wood decking

The Innovation Center was designed to support hands-on learning. A key element of the curriculum in the wood shop is building a full-size house. Previously, the class’s activities and experiences were beholden to the weather, completing projects outside while exposed to the ever-changing Kansas weather.

The new wood shop includes a 22-foot-wide by 17-foot-tall garage door—the largest of its type installed in the region—to allow the class to build inside year-round. Once near completion, large projects, like a house, can be easily moved outside, marking a significant upgrade in convenience and efficiency.

Collaboration and Success

One of the standout aspects of this project was the collaborative approach. The team and district were true partners in the project, working closely to ensure the final product exceeded expectations. “The tone of our owner-architect-contractor (OAC) meetings is that of true partners—almost like family. We set a high bar for collaboration,” Trickey says. “Our communication and rapport with the district were key to overcoming obstacles and keeping everything running smoothly.”

The results speak for themselves: The project is on schedule and under budget, with students and staff excited about the new spaces.

The Innovation Center is more than just a new building—it is a powerful educational tool that will benefit students for years. Trickey says the district, McCownGordon and the design team have created a place where students can engage in hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities. “This project was extra-special for us because we had a hand in delivering a space that will inspire and create the next generation of construction professionals, doctors, veterinarians, and other critical providers within the community.”

Brian Fuemmeler is McCownGordon’s market leader in its Manhattan, Kansas office. With more than 24 years of professional construction experience, Brian focuses on customer satisfaction, project development, operations, pre-construction services, leadership, and development of teams. He is passionate about providing the best building experience to Owners and mentoring the next generation of construction professionals.