At Con J. Franke Electric, we are proud to be involved in the Fairfield High School project located in Fairfield, California. The project, located in Solano County, is being managed by Teresa Moss, with Jose Antonio Gonzales serving as the on-site Foreman. The project started in May 2022 with an expected completion date of March 2024.
The overall project involves constructing a new 33,000-square-foot Performing Arts Center (PAC), featuring stadium seating, an orchestra pit, and production theatrical lighting systems.
The PAC is meant for the entire community to enjoy, according to district officials. "The great news about our performing arts academy, it's not just going to be used by our Fairfield High students. The state-of-the-art facility will be used by other high schools in our district and even for community events,” said Kris Corey, superintendent of the district.
Our Con J. Franke Electric team is responsible for all electrical work on the infrastructure, including data, audio-visual, theatrical lighting, and controls. We are also responsible for electrical modifications to existing buildings C and G, including kitchen, culinary classroom, and restroom facility renovations.
Our electrical distribution tasks include providing and installing a 1600-amp metered utility service switchboard, three downstream dry-type transformers, and twenty-two distribution switchboards/panelboards.
With an estimated overall project value of $41 million, this is a major undertaking to improve a school in Fairfield. In a town where most schools are over 40 years old, the renovations, updates, a new PAC will give high school students more chances to thrive.
To ensure the success of the project, we have assembled a team of over twenty team members, including our bid process/estimating team, project management, superintendents, and onsite production crew. Additionally, we are collaborating with five specialized subcontractors to complete the PAC project. These subcontractors are focused on telecom/data; audio and video system integration; fire detection and alarm; theatrical lighting and control; and testing of power distribution.
We have already encountered a few project scope changes, such as adjustments to lighting fixtures and two-way communication devices, as well as PG&E trench work. Our Con J. Franke Electric team will add an intercom system to the scope and perform that work once the submitted quote is approved. These examples exemplify our team’s flexibility and ability to adapt to changes to meet the client's needs.
The most positive aspect of this project is the teamwork displayed by our Con J. Franke Electric team. The cohesiveness among team members contributes to the overall success of every project, and this one is no different.
The biggest challenge we have faced in the project so far has been the overall schedule. The heavy rainfall during the past winter has pushed back the completion date by a few months. To ensure we complete the project on schedule, coordination among the entire team remains crucial.
Despite the challenges, everyone involved in the project is excited to see the progress of the Performing Arts Center. We closely follow the construction process through drone clips and photos, and anticipation is building for the grand finished result.
We believe this new Performing Arts Center will be a great asset to the overall community. The PAC will benefit the students and faculty of Fairfield High School by enabling creativity to thrive. We can already envision the holiday and other concerts and performances that will take place in the center, and how they will bring so many people together to share the experiences.
