ST. LOUIS, MO – The Joint Venture team of Reinhardt Construction, LLC of Columbia, Missouri, and S. M. Wilson & Co. (Reinhardt/Wilson) has completed construction of Columbia Public Schools’ new $36 million Eagle Bluffs Elementary School. The two-story, 76,500-square-foot school was designed to accommodate up to 750 students and 150 staff members, providing capacity for enrollment growth in southwest Columbia. Eagle Bluffs is the 22nd elementary school in the district, which serves more than 18,300 students.
The construction project was funded by a 2022 no-tax-rate-increase bond referendum to improve and expand district facilities. Reinhardt/Wilson was the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) for the bond program, and the architects were DLR Group and SOA Architecture. Other bond program projects included a 26,465-square-foot addition at the Columbia Area Career Center and two new educational wings at Battle Elementary.
The new elementary school features modern learning spaces with five to six classrooms arranged into small learning pods around a central collaborative area. The six nature-themed pods — Field, Lake, Cave, City, Prairie and Woodlands — reflect environmental features found at the nearby Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. A two-story innovation lab was built for science, engineering and robotics programming.
“Eagle Bluffs is a beautiful example of what’s possible with planning, innovation and, most importantly, community support,” said Columbia Board of Education President John Lyman.
The new gymnasium is an ICC 500-rated storm shelter constructed to withstand winds up to 250 mph, providing the highest level of protection for students and staff during severe weather. Building security features include secure entry points, bullet-resistant glass and fob-access doors into learning pods.
“As I look around this beautiful building, I am reminded that schools are never made simply of bricks, concrete and steel.
They are built through visions, dedication, collaboration and the unwavering belief that every child deserves an exceptional place to learn,” said Principal Sarah Sicht at the ribbon cutting.
Reinhardt Construction and S. M. Wilson formed a Joint Venture in 1992 to pursue building opportunities in the Mid-Missouri area. S. M. Wilson has worked in partnership with 46 school districts in Missouri and Illinois, including Hallsville R-IV School District, Jefferson City School District, Ladue School District, Winfield R-IV School District and Pattonville R-III School District, among others.
ABOUT REINHARDT CONSTRUCTION
Reinhardt is headquartered in Columbia and has been building in Mid-Missouri since 1957. In February 2021, P.J. Hoerr, Inc. acquired Reinhardt Construction and took over operational control. Reinhardt is a general contractor serving the Mid-Missouri area. For more information, visit https://reinhardtconstructionllc.com.
ABOUT S. M. WILSON & COM
S. M. Wilson is a full-service construction management, design/build and general contracting firm with offices in St. Louis, MO, and Edwardsville, IL. Founded in 1921, S. M. Wilson is a team of dedicated professionals committed to exceeding client expectations. As a 100% employee-owned company, we take pride in our people-first approach and our position as one of the leading construction management firms in the Midwest. For more information, visit www.smwilson.com.