SOA Architects dba Stuart Owsley & Associates, PA
816 East Jefferson, Pittsburg, KS 66762

LOCATION: Sarcoxie, Missouri 
Date Bid: Oct 2003
Construction Period: Nov 2003 to Feb 2005
Total Square Feet: 33,850 Site: 2.5 acres.
Number of Buildings: One.
Building Size: First floor, 31,650; mezzanine, 2,200; total, 33,850 square feet.
Building Height: First floor, 16’; mezzanine, 10’; floor to floor, 12’; total, 26’.
Basic Construction Type: New/IIN/Pre-Engineered building.
Foundation: Poured-in-place. Exterior Walls: Metal. Roof: Metal. Floors: Concrete. Interior Walls: Metal stud drywall.


STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Metallic Building Company, Inc. - 7301 Fairview, Houston, TX 77041
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Tri-State Building & Supply Co., Inc. - P. O. Box 1416, Pittsburg, KS 66762
ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL DESIGN: SOA Architects - 816 East Jefferson, Pittsburg, KS 66762

In the spring of 2003, the Board of Education for the Sarcoxie R-II School District in Sarcoxie, Missouri started the process to improve their Vocational Education program. This small Missouri community, rich in agriculture and farming, needed to provide diversified educational opportunities for the students not interested in leaving the area and develop vocational skills that could benefit the local economy. 

A prototype for the small community secondary school facility with their particular program interests was non-existent in their area of the state. Outstanding faculty personnel were already in place and developing popular programs, but facilities were lacking the physical space and state-of-the-art technology. The School District assessed evaluation and the current indebtedness limited any new obligation bond debt to $1.9 million for new facilities. 

Under these conditions the southeast Kansas firm of SOA Architects was commissioned to provide architectural design services for the project. 

The limited budget and proposed scope of the building program required that a pre-engineered metal building structure be considered for the new facility. The architect’s estimate/budget was $1.5 million for the basic new building, $300,000 for some remodeling at existing buildings and $100,000 for A/E fees, etc. The bond referendum of $1.9 million was successful in the spring of 2003 and bids were received October 2003 for construction. The general construction contract was awarded to Tri-State Building and Supply Co. of Pittsburg, Kansas and notice to proceed for construction was issued November 2003.

The building program required design to include seven laboratory type classrooms of 1,500 square feet each, Computer Lab, Wood Technology Shop/Lab, Vocational Agricultural Shop/Lab, Administrative Offices and support areas. Classrooms offer Business (2), Family & Consumer Science (2), Food/Meat Processing Lab and Vocational Education (2) classes. Special features are an attached greenhouse structure, dust collection system for the Wood Shop, paint spray booth and a 2-ton bridge crane for the VO-AG Shop/Lab. Classrooms feature smart boards, video projectors and wall screen technology. Family & Consumer science classrooms feature 14 sewing machine stations and food prep/kitchen lab stations. The Food/Meat Processing Lab classroom is unique for secondary education vocational programs. Wood Tech and Vo-Ag Shops each feature an upper level mezzanine area for project and material storage.

The basic 110- x 275-foot structure was constructed complete with site work, finishes, plumbing, zoned high efficiency HVAC system (w/38 tons cooling) and electrical/special systems. Sloping site conditions required stepped down tiered floor levels with ramps to accommodate ADA compliance. Project architect Stuart Owsley believes this project is a good example of how pre-engineered metal building structures can be utilized to achieve economical school facilities without limiting the functional and design considerations for the building program. 

The entire new facility was completed in the spring of 2005 that included a 48- x 29-foot greenhouse structure. School officials and faculty expect this facility may serve as a prototype for similar facilities being considered by other school districts in the area.


DIV. 9: VCT: Tarkett; Seamless Epoxy: General Polymers; Carpet: J & J Industries; Metal Framing: Dietrich; Gypsum: National; Fiberglass Reinforced Panels: Structoglas. 
DIV. 13: Pre-Engineered Building: Metallic Building Corp.; Greenhouse: Stuppy Greenhouse Manufacturing, Inc.