Bulley & Andrews, LLC Selected as General Contractor for New Lycée Français de Chicago School
Chicago, Ill. (October 24, 2012) – Award winning general contractor, Bulley & Andrews, LLC, was recently selected to serve as general contractor for the new $30 million Lycée Français de Chicago school in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood. The new campus, which will be located at 4550 Winchester Avenue, will replace the former Ravenswood Hospital that has been vacant for over a decade.
With an anticipated opening scheduled for September 2015, project delivery will coincide with the school’s 20th Anniversary. Lycée Français de Chicago (LFC), the French multicultural and bilingual school serves children from preschool through 12th grade, has been operating in Chicago for over 17 years. The school currently leases space at the former Immaculate High School building at Irving Park Road and Marine Drive. The new campus, located just over two miles away, will house the more than 600 students that are presently enrolled in the private school. Currently in the preconstruction phase, Bulley & Andrews expects construction to begin at the start of 2014.
“We are currently working on a comprehensive budget, which includes value analysis in order to meet esthetic design.” said Nick Cabrera, senior project manager at Bulley & Andrews. “This includes an analysis of everything from the exterior skin to the structure, along with interior finishes and MEP.”
While design is still underway by STL Architects, the new 76,000 square foot campus has a goal to become LEED certified. The project also has potential for a future expansion of 40,000 square feet to accommodate a Performing and Visual Arts Component to the school.
The state-of-the-art campus will feature technology equipped classrooms, a multi-purpose gym for students of all ages to share, a black box theater and a cafeteria with kitchen facilities.
The Ravenswood neighborhood will too benefit from the new campus, as the outdoor soccer and athletic fields will be available to the community. Area families will have access to its after-school programs in the arts, science, technology, sports and foreign language. The school’s summer camps, open to both Lycée and non- Lycée children, will benefit the surrounding community.
With significant depth of experience in education and community facilities, Bulley & Andrews brings strong leadership and dedication to the project. Their portfolio also includes projects for DePaul University, Old Town School of Folk Music and The Latin School of Chicago.
“We’re excited to serve as building partner on this important project,” said Tim Puntillo, project executive at Bulley & Andrews. “Our goal is to construct a facility of the highest quality that will be a great resource for students, staff and the community for decades to come.”