Published Feb. 13, 2017
Underway at last!
Three Sparks Reed clients launch construction projects
Sparks Reed Architecture and Interiors helped three clients start February 2017 construction projects in Kellyville, Owasso, and Tulsa.
“It's always an exciting time to see a project take it's first step into the built environment,” said David Reed, a principal and co-founder of Sparks Reed. “The amount of time and energy it takes for us to design and produce the drawings to get to this point is all worth it, when we get to see the joy and excitement on the faces of the owners and users of these facilities. This has been a very exciting two days for our firm and our clients.”
Festivities started Feb. 9 (2017) with Tulsa Public Schools breaking ground for a new McLain High School field house. This Sparks Reed design, funded by a 2015 bond issue, will feature two basketball courts, plus space for McLain’s volleyball, wrestling, and other programs. Tulsa-based Flintco will begin construction in August for completion by November 2018.
Pictured in this Kellyville groundbreaking photo, from left to right: Will Berry of D.C. Bass, KPS board clerk Julie Clayton, board member Cristy Evans, board President David Ayres, board Vice President John Tuttle, KPS Superintendent Joe Pierce, David Reed of Sparks Reed, and KPS Athletic Director Jim Upshaw.
TPS Superintendent Deborah Gist said the $12 million facility will do far more than improve McLain’s athletic programs.
“When our students participate in athletics, they’re far more likely to stay in school, have good attendance, keep up their grades, and ultimately graduate,” Gist said after that Thursday morning ceremony.
Jim Glover Auto Family broke ground the next morning on a 20,000-plus square-foot Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Fiat dealership. This will occupy five acres just southeast of the 106th Street and U.S. Highway 169 intersection in Owasso. Glover expects its new dealership to add more than 80 jobs to the local area once Crossland Construction completes its work in July.
Both President Jim Glover and Vice-President Jared Glover thanked Sparks Reed for its work on the project,
“I was so greatly impressed with every last detail of how this dealership has been designed,” Owasso Mayor Lyndell Dunn said at the groundbreaking. “I really think this dealership is going to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing and appealing dealerships in the state of Oklahoma.”
That Friday afternoon, Kellyville Public Schools celebrated its construction start on a 40,000-plus square-foot field house to go up on the east side of its high school campus. This 2,000-seat arena, to be built by D.C. Bass and Sons of Tulsa, will also provide space for various other campus programs.
John Tuttle, vice president of the Kellyville Public Schools board, hopes to complete construction in time for the 2017-18 basketball season.
“They have done several of these,” Tuttle said of Sparks Reed’s multipurpose design. “That really impressed us. They knew what worked and didn’t work.”