Tag: Education Construction Manager

Lions Fieldhouse Roaring to Life

Dirt and Posters

 

Leo Students and Admin

Plunging shovels into piles of soft earth, students, school administrators, builders, architects, and members of the Leo community marked the beginning of construction for a new fieldhouse coming to campus in 2026. With construction managed by WCI and design led by Garmann Miller on behalf of East Allen County Schools, this addition is just the first of many projects on the timeline for the district this year, as they look to maintain, renovate, and expand their diverse learning environments for current students and those to come.

 

Student Athletics Hub

 

The 34,000 square foot building will support multiple sports-related programs with spaces facilitating various activities:

 

Ceremony Seating
  • 3 Basketball Courts 
  • Batting Cages 
  • Wrestling Training Rooms 
  • Track  
  • Mezzanine 
  • New Roads and Parking Access 
  • Concessions Building 
  • Vestibule 
  • Retractable Bleachers

 

Educational Excellence

 

Mezzanine View

These features in the new fieldhouse serve to strengthen Leo Junior Senior High School’s athletic programming across several different sports. With the added space, school teams will no longer have to share the same areas to practice, streamlining schedules and simplifying logistics for students and parents. On top of improved coordination, the addition will also create an impact reaching past its physical attributes.

 

“…The true power of this project is not in the square footage or the programming. It’s in what this facility will do for the students, the staff, and the broader East Allen community. Inside these walls, young athletes will cultivate more than just growth in their skill and their strength. They’ll build confidence, character, and community. They’ll forge relationships, learn resilience, and discover how to compete with integrity.” – Larry Weigand, CEO, Weigand Construction

 

The sight lines are also aimed at higher than just sports. For East Allen County Schools, it’s a promise to continue promoting environments where students thrive.

 

“This groundbreaking isn’t just about laying the foundation for a building; it’s about the opportunities it will afford. And it will stand as a testament to our collective commitment to excellence in academics, athletics, and arts.” – Marilyn Hissong, Superintendent, EACS 


Front Entrance
Helmets and Shovels
Mezzanine View
Dirt and Posters
Ceremony Area
Breaking Ground
Podium
Aerial Concept
Shovels

9 Features of New Fairfield Facility

Project Partners

A New Chapter 

Superintendent Speech

Students, project partners, and school faculty gathered to kick off construction of their new Student Activity Center. Members of the architectural team, school facilities, and our own construction team took to the podium to speak. Sharing the origins of this exciting addition and its benefits, the ceremony finished with students, teachers, and administrators digging up fresh dirt, officially beginning the building phase. 

“We are so ecstatic to get this off the ground. I would also like to show our gratitude to Weigand Construction and Garmin Miller…the quality and dedication that Weigand and Garmin Miller have brought to the table for Fairfield Community Schools has been extremely, extremely professional.” – Carrie Cannon, Superintendent, Fairfield Community Schools 

The Breakdown 

Part of a $30M project that packages renovations and improvements to Fairfield’s existing campus, The Student Activity Center will include: 

  • Two Stories 
  • Two Lane Track 
  • Bleacher Section with 640 Seats 
  • Batting Cages 
  • Mezzanine 
  • Lobby 
  • Basketball Courts 
  • Volleyball Courts 
Shovels and Hardhats
  • Multi-Use Spaces for Events and After School Programs 

One challenge the school faces is the lack of room for clubs, workshops, and sports team practices. Fairfield administrators noted that these features would play a vital role in supporting the school’s extracurricular activities, creating more space for large groups to meet for academic and athletic purposes. 

Serving the Community 

Traveling Tom's Coffee

Seeing the potential of what a project like this could do for the community, it was crucial that our team bring the best building solutions possible to the table. We’re encouraged by the passion and involvement the Fairfield Community demonstrated over the course of planning this project. 

“We heard about this project back in December of 2022…in that timeframe we’ve witnessed a tremendous amount of involvement from this community, and there’s no doubt that you all care greatly about what we’re doing here. At Weigand, our why is that we build landmarks that impact the lives and communities that we serve, and there’s no doubt that’s what we’re doing here and I’m grateful to be a part of it.” – Aaron Holy, Director of Operations South Bend, Weigand Construction 


Mingling
Groundbreaking Site
Project Partners
Fairfield Community
Posing with Hardhats and Shovels
Architect sharing remarks