On Muskingum University’s rolling campus, student living spaces were built over time on two sides of a steep, wooded ravine, resulting in separate living areas linked by a long, steep footpath. The Walter K Chess Center and accompanying pedestrian bridge were positioned to connect these areas and become a focal point for students as the new campus activity center.
Our team at Lincoln Construction prides itself on taking the time to do things the right way. A process that has led to great results for Muskingum University, including a partnership that has now grown to 7 unique building projects since 2006.
The Walter K Chess Center project started with a compressed but considerable value engineering effort. When we joined the team, the plans were already in the construction document phase, making any value engineering effort challenging.
Working collaboratively with the architect, we developed value engineering ideas to meet the University’s budget while maintaining the carefully considered aesthetics. Searching to improve cost centers, our team solicited design/build proposals on the bridge design and construction. Using this method, the University received a one-of-a-kind trapezoidal concrete box beam design. The new design saved $500,000, meeting the budgetary requirements set for the bridge.
Cost and constructability challenges occurred throughout the project due to the site conditions. We helped develop strategies to properly analyze the need to add expensive rock underpinning to the project, resulting in no underpinning requirements or lost time for construction. After six months of working collaboratively with the design team, we bid the project with outstanding results-our value engineering effort not only reduced the project cost by over $1 million, but we helped redesign several significant features, eliminating issues that would have been challenges during construction.
Additional projects completed for Muskingum University include the Roberta A Smith Library, the Otto and Fran Walter Hall Music Building, and the Patton Dining Hall, among others. Construction on a new Health & Wellness complex is also in process.
