Tag: South Bend Contractor

Princess City Fire Station Breaks Ground

Posted on September 18, 2023

Construction Kicks Off in Mishawaka

Building is officially underway at the future site of Mishawaka Fire Station #2! Set to replace the current Fire Station #2, the upcoming facility will span 23,000 square feet. This expanded space will accommodate twice the number of crew members, feature a versatile training area that doubles as a public meeting space, provide ample room for future staff expansion, and will also be the first station in the region with separate living quarters for female firefighters.

Additional Features:

12 Individual Dorm Rooms
6 Individual Restrooms
5 Apparatus Bays
Occupancy for up to 36 Firefighters

This station holds the promise of enhancing fire crews’ living conditions, fostering greater community engagement, and amplifying the fire department’s capabilities and operational prowess in the region.

Standing in the Gap

The ability to reside in quarters that brings a more private atmosphere at the station creates opportunity for more time with family, which is the backbone of support for men and women serving on the force.

Mayor Wood and Mishawaka Fire Department breaking ground

“Your home family’s the big rock in your life and the most important thing ever. So, we want them to have their wives, kids, moms, dads, grandmas, and grandpas to come see our firefighters at work and be proud of what they do.” – Bryon Woodward, Chief, Mishawaka Fire Department

However, this endeavor will not only improve living conditions for fire teams and their families. It will also strengthen the ability to respond to emergencies throughout the region.

“The need for this investment is being driven by the significant increases in calls for service. The Mishawaka Fire Department reached a new yearly milestone in 2022 by responding to 10,686 calls for service (an overall 11% increase) that included 21,660 total apparatus responses in 2022. This means the department receives, on average, 1.2 calls for service every hour. The greatest number of calls for service continues to be for emergency medical service (EMS) responses. Our ambulances and fire trucks responded to 8,098 (10% increase) calls that required medical care. Mayor Wood indicated ‘This is a significant investment in Mishawaka that will provide increased capabilities for public safety for generations to come’.”
City of Mishawaka

We take immense pride in our partnership with Mishawaka, as our dedicated South Bend Team works diligently to breathe life into this remarkable project.

Mayor Dave Wood sharing his thoughts on the new fire station construction

The groundbreaking site with helmets and shovels

Field of Dreams Made Real

Posted on June 19, 2023

The Tradition Continues

Students, athletes, parents, teachers, and school administrators gathered at Northwood Highschool to cut the ribbon to the new Baseball and Softball Complex! With four beautiful diamonds spanning the edges of the grounds, Northwood’s baseball and softball players continue the school’s legacy in both sports at its own state-of-the-art facility.

A Breath of Fresh Air

The complex is a timely update from Northwood’s older field. Coming in at just over 50 years, the original baseball facility could no longer meet the growing needs of the school’s athletics program. The replacement brings several features that enhance the experience for both players and spectators alike. The new ballpark has four diamonds, two dedicated to baseball and two to softball for junior varsity and varsity level games. Along with seating sections for each diamond, the fields feature dugouts, press boxes, ticket-booths, warm-up areas, and backstops. In the center of the complex is a concession stand and restrooms.

The turf fields allow for easier maintenance, making the upkeep of the entire facility more sustainable. Not only that, but the complex brings softball onto the Northwoods Highschool grounds. Until now, the softball team had to utilize an off-campus field for all their games. This project also includes new access points, which make it easier for students and their families to get in and out of the complex by road or on foot.

How It was Made

Built through the CMc method (Construction Manager as Constructor) by our South Bend team, project management got involved early in the planning process. This created space to identify potential issues before they surfaced. It also allowed our team to offer input with the design and budget to help improve build quality, pricing, and construction timeline.

“We worked with the architect and the school to put budgets to their design and help work through value engineering within the confines of the budget that they knew they had allocated for the full project.” – Aaron Holy, Director of Operations, Weigand South Bend

A Dream Come True

Getting this “Field of Dreams” has been a huge milestone for both the administration and the athletics department at Wa-Nee. Through the generous donation of a previous player, the school system funded this project.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for our kids to have a beautiful sports complex [with] Baseball, Softball, JV, and Varsity all in one location…A great, great benefit to our kids and to our athletic teams…just very excited for the future.”
Dr. Scot Croner, Wa-Nee Community Schools

Invest in the Future of Construction!

Posted on June 19, 2023

Meet our 2023 Class of Summer Interns!

Earlier last month, our 2023 class of summer interns had their orientation day! They met with the CEO, President, and the Safety Department to get an insider’s look at our company and our values. They also got to have some fun at a Fort Wayne TinCaps game at Parkview Field!

With interns placed in our business development, preconstruction, project management, and field ops divisions, they’re covering a wide swathe of our company’s everyday operations across many of our departments.

These 18 students will be working, learning, and receiving hands-on guidance on our jobsites and offices throughout the Midwest. Our team is excited to pour into this group, and we can’t wait to see where the next few months take them in their learning journeys!

“I look forward to working with these young men and women this summer as they create a solid foundation for their professional careers!”
Nick Craghead, Staffing Coordinator

How to Set Vision for the New Year

Posted on March 30, 2023

It feels as though the year has just begun, and yet we’re just about to dip into the second quarter! This is a perfect time to check-in on yearly goals and see how they’re coming along.

For me, as I review both personal and team goals, my focus is always on the team first. For South Bend, my goal continues to be growing the Weigand “brand”. With not having a 116-year history like Fort Wayne, and not being as recognized regionally, I’m constantly looking for ways to increase awareness of our name. Some of these initiatives are strategic social media posts, community service days with a local not-for-profit, and using our new K-12 Scholarship Program in partnering with local school corporations.

On a personal level, I remind myself to look at the larger picture. Each Weigand team member is busy dealing with the day-to-day whirlwind that we all live in. I can often get sucked into daily tasks requiring my full attention, and before I know it, a month or two has gone by and I’ve lost perspective. It’s important that I step back from time to time and remember the bigger goal.

What about you? What’s important for you to keep in mind when you’re on the clock? Make time to gain context with your goals this year; it can help you reach them more consistently!

Mike Miller

Business Development Associate

Concord Unveils New Trades Building

Posted on December 14, 2022

Larger Learning Environment

Planned in lieu of the 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 more students, more resources, and more space for each trade discipline offering.

The Structure

The complex features various spaces designed to support classes such as:

Civil Engineering
Architectural Engineering
Manufacturing
Robotics
Design and Innovation
Construction Trades

These subjects are enhanced through learning areas equipped with the latest technology and training instruments so that students can get a hands-on education with real-world applications.

For the Future

“We are proud to support this investment that will have a direct impact on our students and their ability to increase their industry-ready skills while still in high school…In conversations with local industry leaders, it is clear that having this facility in place to support student learning will set them on a path to success in whatever career path they choose.” – Dan Funston, Superintendent, Concord Community Schools

With the mounting need for people well-versed in trades of all types across the nation, the Engineering and Construction Center will not only benefit the individual careers of students that pass through its halls but will also create value for all kinds of industries that require the skill and expertise of well-educated workers. This will have a lasting impact on learners’ careers, the community, and the economy as a whole.

Concord Engineering and Construction Center

Ironworks Plaza Opens in Downtown Mishawaka

Posted on December 5, 2022

Something’s Stirring Downtown

Residents of downtown Mishawaka are gathering for several new attractions that have arrived with Ironworks Plaza! In this third building phase, with Weigand serving as construction manager, there are three primary new additions.

These include:

An Ice Rink,
The Ironworks Café
An Events Center

However, these are not the only new expansions that have made a home downtown. They will be joining other recent developments like The Ball Band Biergarten (a food event hub) and The Mill (an apartment complex).

More Interest in the Princess City

“This is just an opportunity for us to bring activity to our downtown all the months of the year,” says Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood. “…Another added amenity that will help us to attract people; to fill shops, restaurants, and other things.”

Bringing the Community Together

Residents from all over Mishawaka can now enjoy all the offerings that Ironworks Plaza has! Whether that’s taking a walk through the Biergartens, ordering a warm drink at the café, watching a concert at the event center stage, or skating with friends on the ice rink, there will be plenty to see and do! We’re excited to work alongside the city in this season of growth. We look forward to seeing more municipal projects come together in the future!

From K-12 to Construction: Dr. Diane Woodworth’s Story

Posted on September 30, 2022

An Excerpt from our Q3 Newsletter

My name is Diane Woodworth, and I serve as the Business Development Education Specialist at Weigand Construction. During my K-12 career, I was a high school mathematics teacher, school counselor, and principal. I also served in various roles in district offices, retiring as the superintendent of Goshen Community Schools. I enjoyed each of the roles I had in public education, as I believe good education can truly change the trajectory of young lives!

During my career, I oversaw over $100M in projects utilizing a wide variety of delivery methods. At Goshen, a referendum was passed to build a new intermediate school as well as an addition to our high school. We utilized the delivery method known as CMc (Construction Manager as Constructor) to build these projects and chose Weigand Construction as our construction manager. I became a big fan of both CMc and Weigand during that final construction project before my retirement. It was the most transparent, efficient, and pain-free of all the projects I have ever been involved in.

Every Weigand employee I met demonstrated high levels of honesty and responsibility. I was not surprised at all when I began working for Weigand to find that our company values integrity tremendously. I have greatly enjoyed being part of a team that continues to “Build landmarks that impact the lives and communities we serve.”

Dr. Diane Woodworth
Business Development Education Specialist

Focused on the Field

Posted on April 29, 2021

Jade Painter Weigand Construction head shot

JADE PAINTER, DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS –

Spring has Sprung! We are looking forward to a great year in 2021 (Not that we have been in hibernation!) Behind the scenes, we’ve been getting started on the largest backlog in our company’s history. We’ve made a point to educate and cultivate our robust team to both tackle our current backlog and pursue new opportunities!

In a market where tradesmen numbers have decreased, it is completely vital that we maintain our manpower base. Internally, we have created educational programs at all levels, from Apprentices to Project Superintendents, that allow us to collectively share our practical knowledge and encourage professional development. Externally, we continue to have heavy involvement with our surrounding high schools trade programs. By partnering with the trades programs, we are able to provide pathways for students with interest in joining the trades. Weigand also has a program for students pursuing Construction Management degrees. Our program requires 2 summers of field internship, and 2 summers of office internship.

These programs have allowed us to build the largest manpower base in Northeast Indiana! Our base allows us to tackle large projects like Electric Works, fulfill secured projects and pursue all kinds of new opportunities!

Masonry

Andrews University – Andreasen Center for Wellness Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Posted on October 16, 2019

We are incredibly proud to have served as the Construction Manager of the new Andreasen Center for Wellness project at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The largest new facility construction project in Andrews history, the Andreasen Center for Wellness boasts 2 floors of fitness equipment, an indoor 1/11th mile track, an outdoor fitness suite, a sensory retreat, an indoor saltwater pool, a healing oasis including a sauna, steambath, infrared lighting cove, and sunroom retreat. The Wellness east wing includes multiple classrooms (including a full demonstration kitchen classroom with outdoor event patio), massage therapy suites, multiple sports courts complete with locker rooms and athletic team offices. Congratulations on the opening of this beautiful new facility!

Barnes & Thornburg Earthwork

Posted on June 17, 2019

We’ve got to go down ⬇️ before we can go up! ⬆️

The earthwork has officially started at the Barnes & Thornburg building site in downtown South Bend. The basement level of the building can accommodate 21 cars and even includes a vehicle elevator, a unique feature that helps conserve that precious square footage.

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