Project Name: Roseburg High School Vo-Tech East Building
Location: Roseburg, OR
Project Overview
S+B James Construction completed a 15,000 square foot seismic rehabilitation and upgrade of the existing Roseburg High School Vo-Tech East Building, a concrete tilt-up vocational education facility. The work included structural improvements, in-plane and out-of-plane ties from the foundation to the roof structure, wood and structural steel components, fire breaks, seismic joint work between tilt-up walls, and related building upgrades.
The project took place within an active school campus environment and included owner-added improvements, including secure entry work, vestibule doors, exhaust fan replacements, and door upgrades. Our team coordinated the seismic scope and additional work around ongoing school activities while maintaining safe access for students, staff, athletics, summer school, and agriculture programs.
Challenge
The project required significant seismic rehabilitation work to be completed within a compressed summer schedule. Although construction was planned around summer break, the building and surrounding campus remained active, and long-lead materials for the seismic joint pushed some work into the school year.
The team needed an approach that would:
- Advance critical seismic work within a compressed summer schedule
- Maintain safe student, staff, and campus access around active construction
- Coordinate technically sensitive seismic joint and structural connection work
- Adapt sequencing when long-lead materials extended work into the school year
- Incorporate owner-added scope while controlling schedule and budget impacts
Solution
S+B James developed a flexible work plan that phased construction around campus operations. Fencing, containment, controlled access points, and protected egress routes separated construction activities from occupied areas, while the team adjusted work locations and sequencing as school needs changed.
The team also identified a more constructable approach for structural steel connections. Rather than completing the work from below the roof, which would have required opening ceilings and removing insulation, S+B James worked with ZCS Engineering & Architecture to install the connections from the roof side. This reduced invasive interior work and helped bring the project back within budget.
As additional owner-requested improvements were added, the team incorporated secure entry work, vestibule doors, exhaust fan replacements, and door upgrades into the plan. S+B James also supported coordination of owner-carried lighting upgrades associated with Energy Trust, including sensor controls and school safety considerations.
Installation and Coordination
Successful execution depended on close coordination with the school district and ZCS. The seismic joint between two tilt-up walls required careful installation because it needed to accommodate movement, and the design team provided timely field support as technical questions arose.
Site security remained a priority throughout construction. Our team controlled access through gates, kept construction areas secure, checked people in and out as needed, and maintained separation between work zones and school activities. Once classes resumed, the team adjusted sequencing around rooms, entry points, and circulation routes that needed to remain available.
This flexible approach allowed the team to continue progressing the seismic work while responding to long-lead material impacts, changing campus needs, and added scope without losing focus on safety, constructability, or budget control.
Results
The project team was able to:
- Complete critical seismic rehabilitation and related building upgrades
- Maintain safe access and campus operations during active construction
- Improve constructability through the roof-side structural steel installation approach
- Integrate owner-added improvements and coordinate Energy Trust lighting work
- Return approximately $36,000 in unused project funds to the owner
Through careful site control, flexible sequencing, and responsive coordination, S+B James minimized disruption to Roseburg High School while completing technically complex upgrades in an occupied educational environment.
Benefit to Owner
The Roseburg High School Vo-Tech project provided the district with a seismically improved vocational education building while supporting continued campus operations throughout construction. Constructability reviews and field-driven adjustments reduced unnecessary interior disruption and helped keep the work aligned with the project budget.
Careful management of the seismic scope, contingency, and owner-added work resulted in approximately $36,000 being returned to the owner. The project demonstrates the value of practical problem-solving, active campus planning, and close collaboration among the contractor, district, and design team.
