Our Work

Halyard's Role

When a six-decade-old academic building was starting to overshadow St. Joseph’s Preparatory School’s long tradition of excellence in North Philadelphia, the administration contacted Halyard to discuss a major renovation that was almost five years in the making. With a new school leadership on board and Halyard as the owner’s representative, the 49,360 sq. ft. renovation was finally moving forward.

Halyard collaborated closely with architect, McGillin Architecture Inc., and construction manager, HSC Builders and Construction Managers, to develop the budget, construction documents, and contracts necessary for advancing the old-style learning spaces into the 21st century. In addition to upgrading the library into a learning commons with modern features and finishes, the design plans included all new huddle spaces, a completely renovated counseling center, virtual reality room, STEM and robotics labs, and a Design and Innovation Center that will enable students to create a vision – and then actually build it.

With construction scheduled from April through October 2022, a lot of the building’s transformation would be taking place while school was still in session – creating interesting challenges. While extensive pre-planning and move management is typically a key component with any existing facility, the teams needed an especially elevated understanding of what’s already in place, as well as what would be required to support the new structures and technology. Halyard worked with the project team construction management to perform noise mockups, setting expectations and helping establish timing and logistics to minimize disruption throughout the day.  Hallways were marked with tape to represent future construction barriers, providing the school with an opportunity to plan ahead. 

After a long-awaited ground breaking ceremony on March 31, construction has officially begun, marking an exciting new chapter of innovation and excellence for The Prep.