Track Record

Barnhart embarks on two Southern California high school projects

By Robert Carlsen

In his 20 years at Douglas E. Barnhart Inc. of San Diego, Vice President Gil Fullen has been involved in more than 60 school projects and is now overseeing the completion of two more big high school projects – Tahquitz in Hemet, and Redondo Union in Redondo Beach.

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Tahquitz High School is being built on 82 acres under a phased-in construction plan funded by local Measure T bonds. It eventually will include nine buildings, four parking lots, seven baseball diamonds and a football/track stadium.

The $55 million school will open to freshman and sophomores in the fall, Fullen says.
The completed first phase included the administration/media center complex, a 500-seat performing arts center, 1,200-seat gymnasium with three full courts, three main classroom buildings, boys/girls locker rooms, tennis courts, as well as baseball and softball fields.

The second phase will include a California Interscholastic Federation-regulation swimming pool, two additional classroom buildings, shop classroom building, clock tower, second lunch shelter, additional tennis courts and additional student parking.

The last phase will include constructing a 4,000-seat stadium for football and track.

The architect for Tahquitz High School is San Marcos-based Trittipo & Associates.

“The major challenge on this project, like many others these days, is manpower and how to stay on schedule,” says Fullen. “And the fact that it’s hot up here. Our concrete pours have to start very early in the morning for it to set.”

The 56-acre Redondo Union High School dates back to 1905 and features a mixture of old and newer buildings that span from the 1930s to 2004.

This latest project includes modernization of some classrooms, conversion of one classroom to a modern science lab, modernization of the main hall and main hall restrooms. Completion is also scheduled for the fall semester.

Fullen says the current phase of construction began during summer 2006, and the project has been ongoing during the school year. This latest phase totals $15 million. Modernizations were designed by Flewelling & Moody of Pasadena.

“This phase is focused on creating classroom equity, providing better lighting, improving technology, including all new low voltage systems and power, and to provide the campus with ADA compliance upgrades,” says Fullen.

Barnhart needed to sequence work around an occupied campus, and it was working with 50-year-old buildings that brought unforeseen conditions, such as termite damage.

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