Wesleyan School - Norcross, Georgia
By: Frances Putman
Wesleyan School in Norcross, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta, began in 1963 as a pre-school program at Sandy Springs United Methodist Church. Over the years, the program expanded to include an elementary school, which is still housed on the church’s campus.
In 1987, the middle school was added, with a high school program following in 1994. In 1995, the school finalized a divestiture agreement with the church and chose a 53-acre site in Peachtree Corners for a new campus.
Beginning with 15 modular units, a gym and a soccer field, the school later added several new buildings--with classrooms, cafeterias, a library, theater and chapel--as well as a sports stadium and several athletic fields. While the school purposely remains relatively small, much care has been taken to provide students with a wide range of opportunities, offering programs like chorus, pottery making and swimming.
“More than 25 percent of the high school students are on the swim team,” said Rob Dunn, senior project manager at New South Construction Co., Inc., which has worked with Wesleyan School on each of its 11 building projects.“But until the natatorium was completed, they had to go to an off-site facility to practice and compete.”
Dunn believes the natatorium, completed in 2003, is the newest and largest of any school-based swim facility in the Atlanta area. With state-of-the-art features--like a heated, wave-less pool and extensive dehumidification system--the natatorium is impressive, to say the least.
But, like most Christian schools, Wesleyan didn’t want to overspend. The school wanted to use the best and most cost-effective materials possible but still stay within the budget.
To save on the overall cost of the facility, a rigid-frame metal building was chosen. Since the natatorium is separated from the main campus by sports fields, the exterior did not have to perfectly match the façade of the existing buildings. However, it did need to blend with the campus—and a traditional metal building wouldn’t.
The building’s metal exterior was covered to about 10 feet above the ground with split-face concrete masonry units, or CMU, a decorative block with a stone-like texture. Above that, Hardiplank siding was used to give the facility a bit of what Dunn described as a “barnish” look, which fits in well with the open fields on the other side of the structure.
Though cost-effective, each element of the steel structure had to be protected from the damaging effects of a pool environment. That included coating almost everything with epoxy paint. All aluminum duct work, ceiling grids and railings were powder-coated.
“You have to make sure everything can withstand the humid environment,” Dunn said.
As much as possible, non-corrosive materials were chosen throughout the facility. Hollow-core concrete planks, covered with epoxy paint, were used on interior walls, along with tile flooring and stainless-steel accents. Each element was carefully chosen to be attractive, but also corrosion-resistant and sturdy enough to withstand the elements.
To cut down on humidity in the building, a Desert Aire dehumidification system was installed on a mezzanine, which was specifically constructed for the system. Reducing the humidity not only cuts down on required maintenance on the facility, but makes the environment more comfortable for people coming into the natatorium.
“You don’t get that humid blast of air when you walk in the door,” Dunn said.
The pool itself is a 25-meter, 10-lane, heated, wave-less competition pool, with a diving well and integral gutters. To meet state health department standards, light-colored tiles and grout were used throughout the pool area.
“If dark tiles are used, mold can grow, and it isn’t easy to see,” Dunn noted.
On lighter tiles, any problem is immediately noticeable.
The biggest challenge of the project was simply a matter of time. Typically, the outer structure of the building would be completed before excavation began on the pool. However, the school wanted the natatorium completed in time to hold the swim meets it was scheduled to host during the season. Those working on the project were committed to making that happen. But, to further the challenge, the building schedule included a few months when, because of the weather, pool excavation wouldn’t be possible.
The solution was to begin pool excavation and construction of the building simultaneously.
“For awhile, there was scaffolding over the pool shell as duct work was installed,” Dunn said. “We worked everything out with sub-contractors ahead of time. It didn’t make it less difficult, but at least everyone knew what to expect.”
In fact, Dunn said that planning ahead and making sure everyone knows what to expect and what is expected from them—from the builder to the client to the subcontractors to the building inspectors—is the key to a successful project. In the end, this natatorium project was completed in time for scheduled swim meets.
For school leaders considering a similar building project, Dunn recommends finding a builder who recognizes the needs of a Christian school, which can be different from those of a public school. And, he suggests finding a builder who is familiar with the type of project to be completed.
“Natatoriums or gymnasiums don’t go up like office shells,” he said.
New South Construction Co., Inc., www.newsouthconstruction.com, specializes in the construction of private schools, churches, country clubs, airports and aviation projects primarily in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Fast Facts
School: Wesleyan School
Location: Norcross, Ga.
Number of Students: 1,071
Grades Served: K-12
Builder: New South Construction Co., Inc. of Atlanta, Ga.
Length of Project: 10 months
Description of Project: Built a 23,000 square-foot natatorium with 25-meter, 10-lane competition pool. Facility also includes locker rooms, showers and changing areas for track and field programs
Cost: $3.1 million
The Challenge: Building on a tight time schedule, while working through winter months, which are not conducive to pool excavation, in order to complete construction in time for scheduled swim meets
The Solution: Normally, the building would be constructed and then the pool site would be excavated. To save time on this project, the two steps took place concurrently.
