, April 26, 2006 – S. M. Wilson & Co. recently completed construction on the $57 million high school and middle school addition and renovation for Alton Community Unit School District.  

Construction of the $51 million high school posed unique challenges for team members at S. M. Wilson. The bulk of the project involved expanding and renovating the existing J.B. Johnson Career Development Center to create the district’s new 400,000 square foot high school. While extensive renovations were being made to the Career Development Center, the district’s existing high school also had to be converted into the district’s new middle school. The $6 million project included many enhancements to the existing facility including the addition of air conditioning, a new multi-purpose gymnasium, a satellite cafeteria and new band rooms.  Safety precautions also were of the highest concern throughout the project as construction crews worked while school was in session.

Completed on time and under budget, New Alton High School encompasses three buildings and accommodates up to 2,600 students. A new 2,200 seat gymnasium houses three full-size basketball courts and provides ample space for pep rallies and home games. For dramatic and orchestral performances, a new auditorium was built to accommodate an audience of 400. The school also features 90 new classrooms, 17 renovated classrooms, state-of-the-art computer labs and a new cafeteria/commons area 

S. M. Wilson built the original J.B. Johnson building at 4200 Humbert Road more than 40 years ago.  The company currently has nearly $110 million in school construction projects underway or recently completed in Southwestern Illinois.

S. M. Wilson is a full-service construction management and general contracting firm. Founded in 1921, the company has built a reputation for the high quality of its work and for its outstanding financial and general project management expertise. In 2005, the company posted $350 million in revenue.

The company is a proud member of the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis, as well as the Construction Management Association of America, North America's only organization dedicated exclusively to the interests of professional construction/program management.