Posted on September 15, 2025
The Aaron Willard Student Activity Center is both a significant campus addition aimed at enhancing student athletics as well as a testament honoring the career of longtime educator and school alumnus. The project is named after the former student, teacher, assistant principal, coach, and athletic director, Aaron Willard, who has served the Dekalb Eastern Community School District for 36 years before retiring in 2025. Willard left a profound mark on the Blazers community, with decorated coaching legacy, leading the baseball, softball, and basketball teams to a total of 700+ victories across the course of his career.
“It’s really humbling and very much an honor to have my name on the building…it’s an awesome facility and it’ll serve our students very well.” – Aaron Willard, Former Student Supervisor, Teacher, Coach, and Athletic Director, Dekalb Eastern Community School District
Improving Experiences in Sports
The new student activity center is 30,000 square feet of new construction designed by Barton Coe Vilamaa and built by Weigand. It includes:
- IHSAA Rated Competition Court for Basketball and Volleyball
- 8 Retractable Basketball Hoops
- 2 Drop-Down Mesh Batting Cages
- Weight Room
- 3 Lane Running Track
- Bleachers Seating up to 900 People
- Locker Rooms
- Support Spaces
- Offices
These features allow for multiple sports teams to share the space, conducting practices or workouts at the same time without interrupting one another. It will also create opportunities for conditioning in the offseason when weather is unsuitable for outdoor training. The facility can be sectioned off into partitions, making it possible for several extracurricular groups to meet and conduct their various activities all at once. On top of this, the building is connected directly to the existing campus, providing a safe and simple pathway for students to access the activity center.
Building Blazers Up
We’re thankful for the chance to partner with the Dekalb Eastern community in Butler, Indiana in successfully delivering the Aaron Willard Student Activity Center. Not only does operate as a place for students to grow, connect, and better themselves, but it also stands as a lasting memory of a leader who committed his life and career to enriching the lives of high schoolers through sports, teamwork, and grit.
Posted on September 15, 2025
Planned to meet future needs with an ever-expanding student population, additions and renovations to Carroll High School’s existing campus are bringing greater quality of life to the everyday learning experiences for Chargers and educators alike. Designed by Barton Coe Vilamaa and built by Weigand, the project features new construction in the east, north, and south sections of campus.
East Classroom Expansion
A diverse set of classroom buildouts are now available including:
- 2 Applied Skills Rooms
- Science and Digital Design Rooms
- 8 General Education Rooms
- Credit Recovery Room
This expansion incorporates classrooms and spaces that support dynamic teaching environments for students as they pursue their academic goals, bringing 27 supplementary rooms in total across the entire project. It also features a bus loop for ease of access into the building.
North Corridor
Developments in the northern section feature:
- A connecting hallway joining the west and east academic areas.
- An upgraded Weight Room with a 50% capacity increase and space for up to 144 student athletes at one time.
- An additional General Education Classroom.
Southern Access Point
A new student entrance now sits on the south side of the campus giving high schoolers a direct path to reach the Media Center. The 9,000 square-foot space has a library with spacious open seating, a café, 5 small study areas, and two conference rooms. The cafeteria is 30% larger with 4,000 square-feet of extra room, providing students with a sprawling area full of natural lighting where they gather, eat, and connect during the lunch period.
A Blueprint for the Future
This mix of new construction and redevelopment marks a significant next step securing the future for upcoming Chargers. The resources and room provided by the addition and expansion project provides support for another 500 students on campus.
Facing a rising influx of students enrolling in trade programs, Concord Community School’s employed Weigand’s Construction Management services to build a brand-new trade school facility. This $3.9 million, 10,400 square foot education center houses additional students, resources, and space for each trade discipline offering.
Trades, Robotics, Manufacturing, and More
Sitting on the east end of Concord’s sprawling campus located at 59040 Minuteman Way, Elkhart, IN, the complex features various spaces designed to support classes such as:
- Civil Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
- Manufacturing
- Robotics
- Design and Innovation
- Construction Trades
Students learn direct application of these subjects in real time through classrooms equipped with the latest technology and training instruments.
Forecasting Workforce Gaps
With a rising need for people well-versed in trades of all types across the nation, the Engineering and Construction Center not only benefits the individual careers of students that pass through its halls but also creates candidates for all kinds of industries requiring the skill and expertise of well-educated workers. This has a direct, positive impact on learners’ careers, the community, and the economy as a whole.
Watch another Concord Community Schools Project in Progress Here
The first new judicial system construction in over 150 years, the Steuben County Judicial Center is a testament to the community’s commitment to investing in its future. Built by Weigand Construction and designed by RQAW Architecture, it replaces the Steuben County Annex, which, being built in 1867, became increasingly outdated and unable to meet new municipal building accessibility requirements.
County Justice Hub
Located on 305 S. Martha Street, Angola, IN, the three story + partial basement structure provides new amenities and more space:
- 3 Courtrooms
- Administrative Suite
- Law Library
- Conference Room
- Holding Cells
- County Judicial Department Offices
Due to a significant increase in square footage, Steuben County’s justice system now houses most of its public offices in a single building. All but the Sheriff’s Department transferred. Some additional offices such as the Clerk of Courts, Probation Department, and the Steuben County Prosecuting Attorney also made the move.
Tuned for Efficiency
Despite the challenges that come with construction during the winter months, our team completed 210 consecutive days of project operations, putting us through 30% the schedule. Steel erection was completed in just 2.5 weeks, paving the way for preparations on the first-floor slab deck like stairs, decking, detailing, and welding. Beginning the job in the basement, crews spent weeks safely excavating soil and creating the bottom level of the structure.
The project phase concluded with a well-executed, 9,700 square foot concrete slab pour. From here, crews began work setting the foundation for the building’s first floor. These individual milestones created a base for pillars, steel framing, and the remainder of construction to close out safely and efficiently.
See the Project Built From Start to Finish
Named after the project’s primary donor, Pat Sajak, the former Wheel of Fortune Host and current Hillsdale Board of Trustees Chairman, the Sajak Visual Media Center is a studio designed to support Hillsdale’s wide array of video productions.
Prior to addition of this facility, the Hillsdale Media Team shot their marketing and educational content in a studio located in the Knorr Student Center basement. As operations expanded, their output quickly outgrew the studio, creating a mounting need for a new filming space.
A New Production Standard
With Weigand Construction serving as the construction manager on this project, The Sajak Visual Media Center was conceptualized to help not only meet the Hillsdale Media Team’s immediate needs but also support their growth going forward into the future with features like:
- State-of-the-Art Soundproofing
- Sprawling Studio with Space to Hold 5 Filming Sets
- Green Room
- Makeup Room
In addition to creating more space and improving video production, the building is also a place where media students receive hands-on experience on a professional set.
Resourcing High-Quality Education
This structure does more than just provide a better place to film. It strengthens the university’s deep library of online education courses accessed by millions of learners throughout the country. With the successful completion of the Sajak Visual Media Center, Hillsdale College is prepared to continue supporting the expansion of its legacy educational content well into the future.
For years, Bridge of Grace ministries has poured time, passion, and resources into underserved individuals, homes, and communities in Fort Wayne, IN. Located in the Southeast region, the most underserved area of the city, the team at Bridge of Grace saw an opportunity to bring much needed assistance programming, education, and healthcare solutions to the locale with the addition of a new facility. Built by Weigand Construction with architecture by Design Collaborative, the structure delivers on serving a range of functions based on the needs within the community.
Watch the Ribbon Cutting
Providing a Healthy Start
The Early Years Academy supports growth and development for children between the infant and preschool ages. Covering much of the facility’s square footage, the preschool features:
- Infant Rooms
- Toddler Rooms
- Preschooler Wing
- Outdoor Play Areas
- Indoor Play Space
- Staff Lounge
- Conference Space
- Multipurpose Room
- Kitchens
“We believe in natural wonder and fostering curiosity to provide a child centered learning experience. We believe children are precious and unique individuals.”- Early Years Academy, Westminster Preschool
Administrative Wing
Bridge of Grace offices are set to equip employees for their everyday workloads with:
- Conference Rooms
- Cafe Area
- Office Suites
- Cubicle Layouts
Professional Healthcare Services
The Alliance Health Clinic is a special healthcare center built to provide healthcare for those in the community regardless of financial challenges, complete with:
- Therapist Office
- Exam Rooms
- Administrative Space
- Lobby
- Nurse Station
For a Greater Purpose
This project positions the ministry to continue investing in Southeast Fort Wayne for the forseeable future. With a new space to foster revitalization and growth in a historically overlooked and underserved area of the city, Bridge of Grace Ministries has the resources to keep serving and breathing life into neighborhoods in need.
“Seventeen years ago, God decided to change this community, and what a privilege to be part of the change and the transformation that is happening here in the Mount Vernon Park [Neighborhood] and Southeast Fort Wayne.”- Javier Mondragon, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Bridge of Grace Ministries
Constructed to expand operations beyond the capacity of its locations on Hanna Street and Maycrest Drive, Humane Fort Wayne’s Sharen Bodenhafer Critter Center sits on 901 Leesburg Road. concepted by architect Design Collaborative and built by Weigand Construction, the Critter Center is the home of the organization’s shelter and wellness clinic.
Increased Capacity
Sitting at 25,600 square feet, the new facility features:
- Dog Kennels with Open Air Access
- Cat Colonies with Large Windows
- Outdoor Play Areas
- Walking Trail
- Lobby
- Community Education Center
- Training Spaces
- Animal Wellness Clinic
With additional space and resources available through the Critter Center, the team at Humane Fort Wayne can shelter more animals and offer more services for the community.
“The truth is this is going to help us unleash love on this community by way of helping homeless pets find forever homes and by providing spay/neuter services and wellness services for more than 30,000 animals in this community every year.” – Jessica Henry-Johnson, Executive Director, Humane Fort Wayne
A Place for Furry Friends
For 70 years, Humane Fort Wayne has operated in Northeast Indiana, facilitating animal adoptions, educational resources, pet food pantries, assistance programming, and affordable clinical services. The Sharen Bodenhafer Critter Center, a vision more than five years in the making, is helping animals thrive within its walls while connecting them to their furever homes throughout the region.
Watch the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Built to address overcrowding issues, provide additional space for recovery programming, and increase safety for both inmates and staff, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center is an important addition to the region. The project was spearheaded by a study that found their former facility insufficient in meeting the standards required to ensure the health and wellbeing of confined persons. Partnering with Elevatus Architecture for design and Weigand for construction management, the county began the process of planning a new building that would support these growing needs.
A New Take on Justice Design
The completed project serves multiple functions, creating a more efficient operations workflow for the various departments located under the same roof. This is made possible through features such as:
- Sheriff’s Department Office
- 911 Emergency Service Center
- Wellness Area
- Break Room
- Courtroom
- Multi-Use Training Room
The Detention Center has improved space and access to resources, including:
- Central Control Room with 360-Degree Lines of Sight
- 248 Total Beds
- Inmates Services Wing
- Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP) Units
- Intake Processing Unit
- Dayrooms
The building layout provides not only more room for inmates and staff but also structures the space with room for expansion should the need arise.
A Place for Recovery
For county leadership, this project wasn’t simply about constructing a larger facility; it was about facilitating healing and giving inmates the tools to re-enter society better than they left it.
“This is more than a new building. It’s a new way of thinking about incarceration. We’re addressing the root causes of crime, helping people recover, and making our community safer.” – Chad Banks, County Commissioner, Whitley County
While it’s easy to see detention centers as one-dimensional in the role they play in a community, the vision for Whitley County was much bigger. The project team saw this as a significant opportunity to transform lives of inmates, their families, and those throughout the region for the better.
“Modern jail facilities are not just punishment or places for people to pay their punitive debts, but they’re places where they can get healing, they can get help, and it excites me for this facility to have that influence, to serve this community.” – Tony Vie, Justice Team Lead, Elevatus Architecture
A K-12 private school serving Northeast Indiana, Canterbury School positions itself to help future generations of students foster their creative minds through the addition of its Fine Arts Center. A $9.2M investment in the institution’s programming, the facility is a vital step forward, providing a space to pursue learning opportunities at a much greater scale.
Designed for the Arts
Developed by Weigand Construction and concepted by Design Collaborative, the Fine Arts Center serves as the central hub for Canterbury’s Academy of the Arts. The new, 18,000 square foot campus addition has several specialized offerings:
- Art Gallery
- 2D Art Studio
- 3D Art Studio
- Blackbox Theatre
- Theatre Dressing Rooms
- Music Classroom
- Choral Room
- Practice Rooms
- Recording and Podcasting Studios
- Media Lab
- And More
These features allow for a diverse range of artistic disciplines for students to discover, explore, and hone throughout their learning journeys. Not only that, but students in every grade have access to the Arts Center, allowing them to foster creativity at all stages of their education.
More Lasting than Bronze
This tremendous effort in strengthening educational experiences resulted in a new pillar supporting Canterbury’s education programs, impacting every student passing through its doors.
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Saint Joseph Health System has enhanced patient-centered care with new Urology and ENT/Audiology suites. Designed for efficiency, privacy, and HIPAA compliance, the suites feature a shared waiting area with specialty-specific kiosks to ensure confidential, streamlined check-ins.
Specialized Urology Suite
The Urology Suite features:
- 11 Exam Rooms
- Two Procedure Rooms
- Lab
- Conference Room
This provides comprehensive care for conditions affecting the kidneys, bladder, and urethra. The new facility also helped recruit a board-certified urologist, ensuring patients have access to advanced treatments and expert care.
Advanced ENT/Audiology Suite
The ENT/Audiology Suite includes:
- Five Exam Rooms
- Sound Booth
These features offer precise hearing assessments, free from external noise interference. Additionally, this space facilitated the arrival of specialists in sinus and allergy disorders, thyroid conditions, and hearing loss treatment.
Constructing this 36-room medical space next to active offices required careful coordination. Weigand minimized disruptions with noise-dampening partitions, off-hour work, and clear access routes. The new space expands specialized care and reflects Saint Joseph Health System’s commitment to patient-centered excellence.
