AWC receives an ABC Excellence in Construction Eagle Award for Cornerstone Classical Academy’s Upper School Expansion
Auld & White Constructors was honored to receive three awards at the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) Florida First Coast Chapter Excellence in Construction awards on Friday, August 7, 2026. Over 500 members and clients of the Northeast Florida building community gathered at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront for the annual awards dinner.
Cornerstone Classical Academy Upper School, Jacksonville FL
Eagle Award Winner
The Cornerstone Classical Academy Upper School Expansion represented far more than a campus addition. For one of Northeast Florida’s fastest-growing independent schools, the project was critical to supporting enrollment growth, expanding academic offerings, and creating new opportunities for student development. Delivered on an active campus operating under a fixed academic calendar, the project transformed a constrained site into a new Upper School that immediately became the centerpiece of campus life.
Architect: Rowe Architects, LLC
Photography: GDH Architectural Photography
UNDERSTANDING THE PROJECT
The Cornerstone Classical Academy Upper School Expansion consisted of approximately 75,000 SF of new educational and athletic facilities constructed through tilt-wall concrete and structural steel systems. The facility included a
two-story classroom wing, science laboratories, administrative spaces, art rooms, a competition-grade gymnasium, stage, cafeteria, kitchen facilities, and supporting campus infrastructure.
Constructed on a highly constrained site within an active school campus, the project required continuous coordination with school leadership to maintain safe student circulation, uninterrupted operations, and secure campus access throughout construction. The scope also included athletic field improvements, sports lighting, stormwater infrastructure, irrigation, landscaping, and extensive site development. With more than 37 trade partners and nearly 12,000 field labor hours, every phase of construction was carefully sequenced around student safety, operational continuity, and a non-negotiable school opening date.
PROJECT CHALLENGES
Working with Cornerstone Classical Academy on their Upper School & Gym was both a challenging and rewarding experience. This project presented unique obstacles that demanded innovative solutions and strategic planning, all of which showcased AWC’s commitment to excellence and safety. Below, we will highlight the most significant challenges among the numerous that were resolved.
Challenge #1 – Aggressive Schedule Needs The project entered construction with an already compressed schedule due to funding, entitlement, and permitting activities that occurred before work could begin onsite. Cornerstone Classical Academy needed the facility completed in time to support continued enrollment growth and planned academic operations, leaving a significantly reduced construction window for the project team. From the outset, AWC understood that maximizing every available day would be critical to success.
Early productivity during foundations and structural steel activities allowed the project to gain valuable momentum, but maintaining that pace required continuous coordination across trade partners, suppliers, and project stakeholders. As construction advanced, the team aggressively managed procurement, accelerated decision-making, expanded look-ahead planning, and adjusted sequencing to keep work progressing without interruption. Crews routinely worked extended hours, weekends, and additional shifts to capitalize on available opportunities and maintain schedule momentum. Through proactive planning, disciplined execution, and a shared commitment to the owner’s goals, AWC successfully delivered the facility in time for the start of the school year, providing Cornerstone Classical Academy with a transformational new Upper School and Gymnasium when it was needed most.
Challenge #2 – Tilt-Wall Construction in a Highly Constrained Site Conditions Constructing a new Upper School within the confines of an active campus presented significant logistical and operational challenges from the outset. The project site was bordered by occupied school buildings, property lines, mature tree lines, and existing site features, leaving little room for traditional staging, material storage, equipment movement, or construction access. Every aspect of the work had to be carefully planned around the daily activities of students, faculty, parents, and visitors. Shared access points required coordination around student drop-off and pick-up periods, while ongoing pedestrian and vehicle traffic limited when deliveries, equipment movements, and major construction activities could occur. To maintain a safe environment, AWC established controlled delivery windows, secure fencing, dedicated traffic control personnel, and clearly defined separation between construction operations and campus activities. As construction progressed and the school year resumed, the team continuously adapted operations to accommodate changing campus conditions without disrupting daily school functions.
The complexity intensified during tilt-wall construction. The building incorporated 61 cast-in-place concrete panels, including panels exceeding 35 feet in height and weighing nearly 100,000 pounds. Installation required a 270-ton crawler crane operating within extremely tight clearances around the building perimeter, with occupied campus facilities located immediately adjacent to critical lifting operations. Detailed lift plans, access routes, and safety procedures were developed to coordinate panel erection while protecting nearby students, faculty, and staff. Due to the crane’s size and loading requirements, portions of the permanent stormwater infrastructure could not be installed during the early phases of construction, requiring temporary drainage measures and active stormwater management throughout the project. At the same time, structural steel erection, underground utilities, sitework, and building construction progressed concurrently within the same constrained work area. Through strategic sequencing, continuous communication, and disciplined field coordination, AWC successfully navigated these overlapping operations while maintaining safety, protecting campus operations, and sustaining project momentum.
Challenge #3 – Discovery of a Buried Downtown Jacksonville Bank During Phase 2 site development activities, the project team encountered an unforeseen subsurface condition that quickly evolved into one of the most unusual challenges of the project. While excavating a new retention pond, crews began uncovering large quantities of buried construction debris. Further investigation revealed the remnants of a demolished Downtown Jacksonville bank that had been disposed of on the property decades earlier. Hidden beneath the surface were concrete foundations, structural debris, brick, marble finishes, vault components, and other materials that had remained undiscovered throughout previous site investigations.
The discovery immediately impacted work within the pond area and required rapid coordination between the owner, design team, subcontractors, and field personnel to evaluate the condition and develop a path forward. More than 170 truckloads of debris ultimately had to be excavated, loaded, transported, and removed from the active campus while maintaining safe access for ongoing school operations. The challenge was compounded by the project’s already aggressive schedule. Rather than allowing the condition to disrupt progress, AWC quickly developed a remediation plan, resequenced activities, and coordinated trucking operations to minimize impacts to surrounding work. Through proactive communication, strategic planning, and decisive field leadership, the team successfully overcame the unforeseen condition while maintaining project progress and ultimately delivering the project ahead of schedule.
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Auld & White Constructors (AWC) is one of Northeast Florida’s leading construction firms. Headquartered in Jacksonville for nearly 40 years, AWC has built long-standing relationships by providing open communication, innovative ideas, and diverse construction solutions. With significant expertise in the commercial, healthcare, and public sectors, AWC helps our clients bridge the gap between dream and reality. As we continue to grow, AWC maintains a locally-focused philosophy to allow all of our employees to be at home at night. This is integral to AWC’s strong company culture and the foundation of its connected/collaborative team.