The Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA) provides a continuum of educational services and support to students, families, school districts, and communities. To better suit their students and community, the organization chose to build a world-class career and technical education facility that would host most of the county’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.
Called the “Career Connect Campus”, this new $85M career and technical educational center will serve high-school students and adult learners. It will have a capacity of 1,400 students from private, public and regional school districts who will participate in over 23 programs from auto repair, to welding, machine tooling and culinary skills. The goal is no less than to create the best career center in the nation.
Career Connect Campus – a Hybrid Mass Timber and Steel Structure
KRESA chose Christman Constructors, Wrightman, DLR Group, IMEG and Element5 to design, build and supply mass timber elements for this hybrid mass timber facility. One of Element5’s first school projects – we provided the connection design, supply, and delivery of the 5-ply CLT roof panels, glulam beams, 19mm Nano CLT panels, and associated steel connections & fasteners for this 167,000 sqf building.
This sustainable design will feature exposed CLT ceilings, glulam beams, and nano with the express purpose of establishing a connection to nature for the students.
This project is currently under construction and is expected to open in the fall of 2025.
