Gilman School McBride Grandstand

Gilman School McBride Grandstand required creative site planning, precise coordination, and innovative construction methods to deliver a new spectator venue within a highly constrained campus environment. Lewis Contractors completed the project adjacent to occupied school facilities, an active athletic field, and a mature Zelkova tree, all while working within an accelerated schedule driven by athletic programming requirements.

Working with Marshall Craft Associates, Lewis Contractors constructed a new grandstand featuring precast concrete seating, masonry retaining walls, Trex decking, cast stone accents, stainless steel railings, and upgraded pedestrian connections. The project occupied a sloped site with limited access, requiring the team to carefully sequence excavation, foundation installation, structural work, and site restoration to maintain safety and protect nearby campus assets.

Construction began with extensive earthwork to bench the existing hillside and create the seating bowl. The grandstand’s structural system utilized helical piers supporting precast concrete seating and stair components. Due to the site’s restricted layout and the location of the active athletic field below, each precast seating unit had to be crane-set from above. The individual seating elements weighed approximately 5,000 pounds, requiring careful lift planning, precise placement, and close coordination between trades.

One of the project’s most unique challenges involved the interaction between the structural and site components. The grandstand system did not achieve its final rigidity until the surrounding earthwork was backfilled and compacted. Lewis Contractors coordinated the installation sequence to ensure proper alignment, structural performance, and safe execution throughout construction. This level of coordination was essential to maintaining schedule and delivering a successful result.

Beyond the seating structure, the project included a curved brick masonry retaining wall with cast stone caps, stainless steel guardrails, brick paving improvements, asphalt paving, and grading modifications that integrated the new facility into the existing campus circulation system. Much of the work was self-performed by Lewis Contractors, providing direct control over quality, schedule, and coordination.

The completed Gilman School McBride Grandstand enhanced the spectator experience while seamlessly integrating with the surrounding campus. Through careful logistics planning, innovative construction sequencing, and disciplined field management, Lewis Contractors delivered a durable athletic facility despite significant site constraints and ongoing campus activities.