Projects
H.L. Bourgeois High School Hurricane Ida Repairs
ABC Bayou’s Excellence in Construction Award and ABC Pelican Excellence in Construction Award
Educational, Industrial Buildings
Project Overview
In August 2021, Hurricane Ida devastated Terrebonne Parish, severely impacting local schools, including H.L. Bourgeois High School in Gray, Louisiana. The aging campus, serving 1,400 students, sustained significant wind and water damage. After installing a temporary TPO roof, the school reopened, and GROUP Contractors began a complex restoration project while the school remained operational.
The GROUP team created a master schedule, broke it into phases, and worked the school like a maze. The work included roof restoration, lightweight concrete replacement, fascia panels, trim repairs, and interior updates like replacing water-damaged ceiling tiles, VCT flooring, and light fixtures. The gymnasium floor was replaced, and the 10,000-square-foot auditorium underwent a complete overhaul. Storefront glass and doors were replaced, and a two-story concession stand near the baseball field was reconstructed.
GROUP’s phased approach across the vast footprint of the school minimized disruptions, allowing students to “hopscotch” between classrooms while work was being completed. Challenges such as supply chain delays and unforeseen issues that demolition revealed were managed through strategic re-sequencing and collaboration with the school board and subcontractors.
Even with all of the challenges along the way, safety and quality control were always top of mind. Manufacturers’ reps performed periodic checks and preliminary punch lists with the architect were done as each phase was completed. These processes, plus the use of tools like Procure and Primavera 6, streamlined tracking and communication to keep everyone in the know and to reduce time spent at the end of the job.
Despite obstacles, the project was completed safely, on time, and within budget by August 2024, earning GROUP the 2024 Associated Builders and Contractors Excellence in Construction Award. “Our transparency and teamwork were key to success,” said project manager Chelsey Rodrigue.
Project Included:
- Working Among Students and School Events
- Overhauling a 10,000 sq./ft. Auditorium
- Restoring Roofing, Interior Finishes, and Gymnasium
- Daily Communications with School and Subcontractors for Seamless School Operations