Category: Facilities Assessment

The Business Case for K-12 Boundary Realignment

Posted on January 18, 2024

Depending on building operational needs and the district’s enrollment trends, K-12 districts often need a boundary realignment. Boundary changes should occur in areas that have experienced a shift in population or a shift in demographics within the population. Older neighborhoods begin to have more “empty nesters”. Other areas of the district may have vacant land that has begun to be built out. Some new construction areas might have more affordable housing ripe for families, whereas other new housing might be more suited for an older, less family-intensive group of homeowners.

Facility Planning

Understanding the details of student enrollment and the data that impacts the enrollment is critical to Facility Planning. Facility Planning must look at the story the data tells us:

Conditions – has the campus lived its useful life, and is it now cost-prohibitive to keep it open?

Adequacy – is each campus able to reach teaching and learning goals within its current state?

Capacity & Utilization – is each campus maintaining a balance of class size and maximizing the use of the campus?

Programs – are there program changes affecting the functional capacity?

If a campus or campuses can’t effectively support the educational delivery model, then the district must review the demographics, feeder patterns and program profiles and boundaries.

Boundary Realignment Solutions

We have seen districts add classroom wings to campuses for short-term solutions. These short-term solutions, however, create long-term impacts such as overcrowding cafeterias and too many lunch periods, packed hallways, insufficient parking lots and dismissal challenges, and unavailable gym space, in addition to hardships on staff and the increase in the facility’s operational maintenance costs.

Understanding your district’s enrollment and trends is critical to the overall boundary re-alignment analysis. Tracking students as a group or “cohort” over time enables a district to measure changes in student enrollment by grade. These observed trends will typically align with the other data sets, such as live births and macro-level social demographic trends. One common trend is the seemingly counterintuitive declining enrollments, even as your city or county is growing in population. Knowing the enrollment projections supports the facility planning at all campuses in addition to teacher staffing and operational needs.

As programs and enrollments change, a closer review of feeder patterns should be completed. Transportation and operational costs may have increased due to population shifts. Conditions, adequacy, and utilizations also support the efforts to alleviate overcrowding and assist you with balanced enrollment. Accommodations for new programs and learning opportunities will continue to be updated. This establishes the balance between all data sets and may lead your district to a much-needed boundary realignment.

Manor ISD’s Rise Academy Raises the Bar for Texas K12 Facilities

Posted on December 11, 2023

Grand Opening

Manor ISD’s best-in-class K-8 facility, Rise Academy, opened its doors to students for its inaugural school year in August. Acclaimed program management firm, HPM provided quality control and preconstruction services and maintained schedule and budget compliance throughout construction.

About the Space

Manor ISD‘s $45 million Manor Rise Academy is a 116,000-square-foot school on a 40-acre campus on FM 973. State-of-the-art amenities and technology enhance the learning environment in every room. The school’s interior includes athletic facilities; a competition gym with seating for up to 500 people; a dedicated gymnasium for physical education classes; a large media center; two art rooms; three maker spaces; performing arts classrooms; and student collaboration areas. The campus will also house competition-level athletic fields, outdoor learning spaces and playgrounds.

“Education projects require strict scheduling oversight to ensure an on-track completion by the start of the school year, and I am proud of our team at HPM for its dedication to an on-time delivery for Manor ISD. We thank the school district for its invaluable support and collaboration during this project, and to our partners for ensuring success in the construction of these schools. As we move ahead on additional projects with the school district, we look forward to providing more quality program management services, expanding our footprint further into Manor.”
Ryan Austin, President, HPM

About Manor ISD

Manor ISD voters approved a $280 million bond package in November of 2019. The bond is focusing on projects to accommodate student growth. This includes addressing facility upgrades and improving transportation, security and technology within the district. It is one of the largest bond programs the district has initiated in its history. These increase capacity in the 9,500-student district, projected to grow by 2.5% to 5% annually for the next 10 years, according to district student enrollment projections.

Greater Austin is one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and was recently projected to surpass San Antonio in population size by 2040, according to the Texas Water Development Board. The population of Manor, located just 12 miles northeast of Austin, has grown by more than 160% since 2010. Manor ISD anticipates an additional 2,800 students over the next four years. A project of this scale required experienced and dedicated program manager to oversee the bond program.

Additional project partners for Rise Academy include ADM Architecture; Raba Kistner as geotechnical engineer; Civilitude as civil engineer; and Lee Lewis as the general contractor.

HPM Hires Respected Industry Veteran to Coincide with Push into Major Program Management Markets

Posted on July 3, 2019

At HPM, we’re always looking for ways to pursue excellence within our industry. This pursuit includes not only providing the best program management services but also having the best people on our teams.

As we expand into new markets of program management, we need leaders who are known for their relational skills, determined work ethic, and integrity that will help pave the way for HPM to stand out within our industry.

Currently, HPM has added Derek McSween to our team as our first Senior Program Development Manager.

McSween’s appointment to the newly created position comes as HPM expands its footprint into major program management markets throughout the country. In his new role, McSween will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction for new and developing client projects and will serve as the main conduit between business development and the operational phases of an assignment.

With nearly 30 years of program and construction management experience, McSween has established proven processes for assembling highly skilled teams, mitigating risk and driving cost-control and efficiency for an array of signature projects around the globe totaling more than $3 billion.

“Derek is a dynamic leader with an impressive combination of industry experience and technical know-how that made him a natural fit for this position. We’re thrilled to have him on board,” said Mike Lanier, President of HPM. “His ability to pick up new skills, anticipate clients’ needs and connect them with our overall strategy and core values will generate meaningful results for HPM. We look forward to watching Derek apply his passion and expertise as he helps drive our company into the next phase of growth.”

“I am honored and excited to join the incredibly talented team at HPM,” said McSween. “There is a unique opportunity to cultivate new partnerships through my prior connections and experience in the industry, and also utilize my skills as a professional trainer to help grow the next generation of leaders within. I look forward to playing an active role at the company as we tackle new challenges and build upon an already strong foundation.”

McSween will be largely responsible for identifying new opportunities for deploying HPM’s portfolio of services, including facility master planning, space planning, facility assessments, and long-range capital planning, as well as a special emphasis in K-12 programming.

“Derek’s ability to manage high-impact teams and effectively deliver projects will be a valuable asset as we plan and prepare for the next decade ahead. His experience in the field and as an owner’s rep will be invaluable in developing new strategies that are necessary for HPM to cross the next threshold as a company.”
Greg Ellis, HPM Vice President of Program Development

Prior to joining HPM, McSween served as a Managing Director, Director of Diversity and Community Development and Senior Program Manager for Bovis Lendlease. While there, McSween forged new ties with the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System – North Carolina’s second-largest school district – where he provided oversight for the design and implementation for a K-12 bond program. McSween is largely credited for helping to grow the school system’s bond program from $130 million to its present-day total that exceeds $2 billion.

Since 2015, McSween has served as president of Port Saint Lucie Speakers Toastmaster Club, an organization dedicated to improving communication and leadership skills. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Rochester, held an NC General Contractors License and was an OSHA 500 certified trainer.

In addition to McSween’s responsibilities of identifying new opportunities for HPM services to expand into the market, he will also offer professional development opportunities for HPM’s team members, such as teaching public speaking and other leadership skills. McSween will also oversee the growth of the firm’s diversity programming. McSween was awarded the “Catalyst of Diversity” award by the Charlotte Business Journal for his exemplary work in the community and for helping small minority and female owner businesses compete and excel in their respective fields.

HPM is known for having family-like relationships, profitable stewardship and continual pursuit of improvement, and McSween is sure to add value to HPM’s leadership, impact and reputation within the program management industry.

“Derek is a force of positive change. We’re certain he will make a lasting impact on HPM and be an unwavering source of guidance for our firm.”
Mike Lanier, HPM President

HPM’s Beginnings: A History Built on Standing in the Gap (Part Two)

Posted on May 15, 2019

By Mike Lanier, President

Welcome back as we turn back time with our founding president reminding us in this two-part series about how HPM was founded and how it continues to grow. You can read Part One of this series posted earlier on our blog.https://hpmleadership.com/hpms-beginnings-a-history-built-on-standing-in-the-gap-part-two/

See Part One Here

In 2013, HPM took to the skies and provided the much-needed boots on the ground in the US for the global aerospace company, Airbus. Our expert staff members embedded themselves within Airbus and became the client’s eyes and ears during the design and construction of their first US manufacturing facility, which has led us to other clients in the aerospace and aviation industry.

Along the time that HPM began making its impression in several industries signaled the time for the company to be organized into its own entity, and HPM was officially structured into an LLC, branded itself apart from the construction company, and offered services separate from industry norms.

A few years ago, HPM represented the City of Birmingham by managing the design and construction of a new minor league baseball stadium right in the middle of downtown which sparked a revitalization of the area. Now, we have lead the building of several new major and minor league baseball stadiums across the Southeast as well as numerous collegiate sports venues across the US.

As a part of our growth strategy, HPM acquired a construction audit and contracting firm which serves an impressive list of clients including Google, Caesar’s Entertainment, Southwest Airlines, Facebook and Landry’s. The team criss-crosses the country involving themselves in clients’ contract negotiations; conducting interim and final audits to determine reimbursable costs, fees, savings and savings allocations; reviewing pay applications; calculating scheduled damages; and managing claims analysis and defense. We like to say that our audit and contract services provide clients with confidence knowing you paid the right price on your construction spend.

Today, HPMers serve global clients across the US from offices and project sites dotted throughout the country. Our clients continue to work with us on new projects because we have created deep, long-lasting relationships, and we continue to attract innovative and passionate talent because our work and our teams are meaningful, interesting and fun!

HPM was founded by leaders for leaders who lead at every level. We strive to be the perfect partner in every way so that our clients’ organizations achieve success.

My talented colleagues come from all walks of life and expertise – engineers, builders, estimators and designers work alongside accountants, business managers, communications professionals and administrative experts. Every role is important in HPM’s success and our clients’ success.

I believe HPM employees are relationship-driven, problem solvers, and good stewards. We strive to have purpose in our lives and do the right things for our clients and our community. My colleagues take the time to truly get to know our clients and their businesses to provide that ultimate form of servant leadership – the trusted advisor.

HPM’s Beginnings: A History Built on Standing in the Gap (Part One)

Posted on May 14, 2019

By Mike Lanier, President

Join us on this look back in time as our founding president reminds us in this two-part series about how HPM was founded and how it continues to grow.

HPM is in the business of leading. Sometimes, that looks like shepherding more than it does signaling a full-scale charge from the front.

While others in our industry focus on getting plans on paper or aim at the best ways to compile bricks, concrete, and steel, we focus on what’s most important to our clients at any given moment. HPM serves as a trusted advisor who stands in as the owner’s advocate in a capital building program.

And that can look like a lot of different ways to lead and serve.

A Little History

Our unique story of this servant-leadership style began in 1940 when Friend Reed (F.R.) Hoar founded the F.R. Hoar Construction Company in Birmingham, Alabama. Over the decades, the company has grown across the US with new projects, new clients, and new colleagues.

I began my career with Hoar Construction in the mid-1990s doing pre-construction work in the retail industry, and very quickly, I noticed many of our clients needed help beyond that of traditional contractors. I happily provided them the guidance they needed simply because it was the right thing to do.

Rob Burton, CEO of Hoar Holdings (which owns HPM and Hoar Construction), served as the Executive Vice President of Hoar Construction at the time I joined the company. He and I recognized the market needed someone that could help clients reach success by managing all the intricacies of their construction projects – from planning, design, and construction through to owner occupancy.

After a serendipitous lunch with his daughter at her school where a construction project was in disarray, putting students at risk, Rob met with the District Superintendent and offered our services. This led us to pre-construction work for school districts and municipalities who struggled to proceed with projects because they constantly seemed to stay overbudget, behind schedule, and/or beyond their capabilities.

In 1997, Hoar Program Management (HPM) was founded as a division of Hoar Construction to serve as advocates for our clients. During this time, we guided Hoover City School District during all phases of their construction projects which put us on the map in Alabama for K12 and which has now expanded to include school districts throughout the country.

HPM team members now shepherd school superintendents and school boards through the planning, funding and site selection phases of capital bond programs through design and into construction and move-in.

In 2003, we graduated into the corporate world with our partnership with Regions Bank. Regions utilized our program management services to help stay on budget and on schedule while they rolled out new bank branches across their multi-state footprint. More than 15 years later, we still partner with Regions Bank and have expanded our services into interiors planning and move management.

In 2004, HPM made the leap into higher education when a large university in our home state hired us to provide program management support for six different simultaneous construction projects on campus. And, we’re still there today due to our deep relationships with the staff and leadership team and a successful 15-year track record. Since 2004, we have completed more than $2 billion in capital building projects to facilitate the university’s rapid growth.

And that was just the beginning…

Part Two

How HPMers Breathe Life Into Core Values

Posted on February 18, 2019

Jay Daily — **Jay** **Daily**,
*HPM Vice President,*
*Business Develoment*

At HPM, we provide a spectrum of professional services for managing the details of our clients’ capital building programs. But perhaps even more importantly, we carefully and proactively address and manage our clients’ concerns throughout one or more of their projects to ensure a pristine client experience.

In fact, at HPM we don’t just want our clients to be satisfied, we want them to be delighted. To accomplish this — and we do it every day — all of our actions and interactions are grounded in our core values.

HPM Core Values

The foundation of our approach to the client experience can be found in our core values. These include always acting with honesty and integrity, treating others with respect, relentlessly pursuing improvement, the meticulous management of resources, and fostering a family atmosphere for our employees, clients, and partners.

They might sound simple, but they work. Because these are the values you teach your children. These are the values of good, honest people, and they guide our actions and shape how we treat each other, our partners, and our clients.

Leadership and Trust

A big part of our kind of leadership isn’t just managing program details, but how they affect the owner. We have a saying around here. What’s keeping our clients’ up at night? Whatever it is, that’s what we want to tackle. We feel the same about all the partners involved. We provide a big umbrella for our owners, because that’s what they want and deserve.

Driven by our core values, we do what we say, and we say what we do. Every single time. As a result, our clients trust us. They trust us with their building program, their resources, and their peace of mind.

What’s more, we realize this commitment to our values and the client experience must permeate our entire organization. Everyone here touches the client at some point in the process, and we do not let that get out of focus.

Lasting Relationships

At HPM, we have a lot of confidence in our corporate principles and how they guide our actions because HPMers live our core values. They inspire us to deliver a client experience that is second to none.

How do we know? Our client retention rate is extremely high. Our relationships are strong and lasting, and our clients work with us again and again. In fact, 80 percent of our business every year comes from repeat clients. Loyalty like that doesn’t just happen. It’s earned by doing the right thing and going the extra mile for our clients every single day which is more than an abstract concept but a way of life.

HPM is in the business of leading. For some clients, this may mean managing an already-established, multi-million dollar capital building program. For others, it could mean overseeing a single project from site selection through owner occupancy. No matter the scope of our involvement or at what point you find yourself in the building process, HPM exists to lead our clients to success and provide value in everything we do.

by Jay Daily, HPM Vice President, Business Development

At HPM, we like to provide you with information and news about our company, our people and what we do as well as other topics we think you will find interesting and valuable. If you ever have any questions about anyone or anything you see here or if you have an idea for what you’d like to see posted, drop us a line at info@hpmleadership.com.