Working around the schedule of the students at the West Tennessee School For The Deaf in Jackson, TN, Allen Searcy Builder-Contractor, Inc., of Union City, TN, completed a new library and gymnasium that blended five different construction materials into a unique and beautiful structure. Allen Searcy turned to long-time partner and metal building manufacturer Ceco Building Systems to construct the gym. The construction company has been a Ceco authorized builder since 1969.
The West Tennessee School For The Deaf opened in 1986 as a state elementary school for children who are deaf or hearing-impaired. The school serves children ages 2-13 from throughout West Tennessee.
“The purpose for building the physical therapy and recreation facility was to build a gym so we would not have to travel to other gymnasiums to have class,” commented Daniel Mobley, assistant principal of the school. “We had outgrown our small library and needed more space. We didn’t have a room large enough to conduct in-service training or meetings with parents, and we needed a space for occupational and physical therapists to work with our students in order to fulfill a student’s Individual Education Program.”
Brian Searcy, project manager, explained how the team fulfilled that need. “We incorporated a custom designed metal building, conventional metal studs, wood, structural steel and glass to complete the design created by Archimania (architects) of Memphis.”
He added, “This was a new facility that was under construction during the school year. We worked on their schedule completely, stopping all work while the busses were loaded and unloaded.”
Serving as the general contractor and erector, the Searcy organization built the 12,400-square-foot free-standing structure among the existing buildings. The building has a 26’9” eave height on one side and a 24’0” eave height on the other.
Archimania marketing manager Casey Weatherford explained why Ceco’s custom-designed walls were chosen for the recreation and physical therapy rooms. “There were extreme budget constraints, so we used 24-gauge standing seam Galvalume® panels in the roofs of these two buildings and on the east canopy,” she commented. The west face and library component were made of prefinished rib panels.
Searcy said there were no site challenges on the project other than the safety of the children. He concluded that the new building for the School For The Deaf “was a nice project, and we had a good rapport working with the State of Tennessee.”
Mobley is proud of the addition to his school. “We’ve received numerous positive comments about our new building,” he said. “Everyone who sees the building and its uniqueness are very impressed with the architecture and construction of the building. The building has exceeded our expectations and meets our needs. We are very pleased with the building.”
Mobley also complimented the school’s relationship with Allen Searcy Builder-Contractor. “We had a wonderful relationship with them during the entire process of constructing our building. They were very helpful in keeping us well informed throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend their company to anyone and for any future WTSD projects.”
About Allen Searcy Builder-Contractor Inc.
Allen Searcy Builder-Contractor, Inc. began as Union City Lumber Company, Inc., in 1968. The company started out as a residential and light commercial construction company. After a few years residential construction was discontinued and commercial and industrial projects were pursued. Allen Searcy Builder-Contractor, Inc. is a family- owned company with more than thirty years of experience in the construction of various types of projects including commercial, medical, housing, industrial and churches. Since its beginning, Allen Searcy Builder-Contractor, Inc. has been involved in the construction of custom-designed steel buildings, a major part of several commercial projects through the years.