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District

Explorer Middle School - Phase 1

Explorer Middle School - Phase 1

Architect: Mahlum Architects

GC/CM: Cornerstone General Contractors

Estimated Completion: Fall 2025

Explorer SEPA Checklist

Explorer Middle School was built in 1973 with some renovations in 1989 and 2005. The school is located within the City of Everett on 29.5 acres. Permanent square footage is 129,296 and there are 8 portable classrooms. A master plan for an entire school replacement and determining Phase I scope has been completed.  In Phase I a new stand-alone building will be constructed including a gymnasium, auxiliary gymnasium, fitness room and associated support spaces.  The new building will be approximately 21,400 gross square feet.  The football field and track will be replaced with a synthetic turf field and rubberized track.  Site work will include walkways, landscaping, and utilities.  The district anticipates construction starting in Summer 2024 and completion in Fall 2025.

Project Renderings

Exterior

Lobby

Main Gym

Exterior

Fitness Room

Project Updates

A progress bar graphic with text labels and a building icon.

    • Students, staff and the community were welcomed back to the 25-26 school year with a new gym, aux gym, training room, and track & field. 
    • Contractor working on punch list as part of closeout for Phase 1.

    A long wall features the word 'EXPLORE' in large letters, with benches below. An empty basketball court with the word 'EXPLORER' on the wall.

    Exterior view of a modern building with 'ATHLETICS' signage above the entrance.

    • Asphalt paving on the south and east side of the building is complete.
    • Concrete sidewalks and driver are being laid out and will be poured the week of 7/28. 
    • Building signage is complete. 
    • The track and field is going through its final clean and will be open to the public in early August. 
    • Gym floor is complete. 
    • Casework is finished in the corridor. 

    • Track and field installation are complete. Striping was finished in June. 
    • Landscape work commenced around the field. 
    • Mat mover installed in gym.
    • Fitness porch has been painted.
    • Gym floor onsite acclimatizing before installation.
    • Fine grading for ramp to fields is underway.
    • Interior finishes are ongoing.
    • Ceiling grid is complete.
    • Electrical trim-out is ongoing.
    • Aux gym floor striping is complete. 

    A red running track curves towards a green football field under a cloudy sky. A covered walkway with a blue ceiling leads to a building with a brick facade.

    A basketball court with a hoop and protective wall padding.

    • Aux gym painting is complete.
    • Main gym painting is nearing completion.
    • Main gym basketball hoops are installed. 
    • Fitness room wall protection is in progress. 
    • Main corridor wall protection is underway.
    • Rubber track is being installed. 

    A long hallway with large windows, a concrete floor, and a blue door at the end. A large, open space with exposed beams and a concrete floor, showing signs of ongoing construction.

    A worker kneels on the floor of a new gymnasium, surrounded by tools and equipment. A view of a newly installed artificial turf football field with workers finishing up the project.

    A large, empty room with a concrete floor, a red scissor lift, and various construction materials.

    • Exterior finishes and roof detailing are 90% complete.
    • Interior painting is 50% complete.
    • Interior wall finishes are underway (Paneling, toilet room protection, etc.)
    • Ceiling grid in installation is in progress.
    • Concrete floor polishing is in progress. 
    • Exterior glass is complete. 

    A large, modern building with a gray exterior and large windows, with two blue construction lifts parked in front. A new building under construction with a brick facade and a large, unfinished interior.

    A green artificial turf football field with white and yellow markings, surrounded by trees and a blue sky. A long hallway with large windows and a view of an outdoor construction site.

    A large, empty room with white walls and a metal roof structure. There are two scissor lifts and some boxes in the room. Construction workers install drywall in a new building, with scaffolding and tools visible.

    A construction worker stands on a ladder in a large, unfinished room with exposed pipes and a view of the outdoors.

    • Brick work is complete.
    • Glazing is complete.
    • Exterior metal panel installation is underway.
    • Interior drywall installation is progressing. 
    • Electrical and mechanical rough-in is nearing completion.
    • Interior paint has begun. 

    A construction site with a large building under construction, featuring a boom lift and a scissor lift. A brick building with a large window and a gravel area in front.

    A large, open space with a metal truss ceiling is under construction. Workers are visible in the background, and various building materials are scattered throughout the room. A yellow excavator sits in front of a new building under construction, with a lift truck working on the roof.

    • Interior framing is nearing completion.
    • Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) rough-in is almost ready for wall cover. 
    • Masons are on-site setting scaffolding and preparing to lay brick. 
    • Window storefront installation is in progress on the first floor. 
    • HVAC duct is nearing completion.
    • Field turf installation has begun. 

    A large building under construction with workers on site, featuring a metal frame and Tyvek wrapping. A large, open space with metal framing and a concrete floor, suggesting a building under construction.

    A building under construction with scaffolding, Tyvek house wrap, and wooden planks. A large, open space with metal framing and drywall, showing the interior of a building under construction.

    • Track and field work is progressing – Rubberized e-layer has been installed at field. Turf will be installed next.
    • Storage building at field has been framed. 
    • Interior framing and MEP rough-in is ongoing. 
    • Exterior sheathing and roofing is in progress.

    A newly paved athletic field with a concrete curb and a line of trees in the background. A metal building frame under construction with workers and equipment on site.


    A large building under construction with yellow siding and a yellow forklift parked in front. A large, open space with metal framing and stacks of metal studs, indicating a building under construction.

    A construction worker inspects the framing of a new building, with tools and materials scattered around.

    • A topping out celebration was held on December 4th, where staff and the contractor were able to sign the steel beam. The final beam was placed on a primary structural frame.
    • Metal roof decking was completed in December. 
    • The contractor installed a new water line from the main in the street to the new building. 
    • Exterior metal stud framing is in progress. 
    • Field work continues with goal posts recently installed. 

    A construction site with a sign that reads 'Ironworkers Local 86' and an American flag. Two construction workers stand on a steel beam, one holding a small tree, against a blue sky with an American flag.

    A construction site with a crane, a forklift, and a partially built structure under a clear blue sky. A construction worker inspects the progress of a new athletic field, with a large excavator in the background.

    A worker walks on a newly paved athletic field, with a football goalpost in the foreground and rolls of artificial turf in the background. A construction site with a large metal frame building, two blue aerial lifts, and a green dumpster.

    A large, open space with a concrete floor, metal framing, and a lift truck.

    • We are vertical! Ironworkers on site have the primary structrure framed and the roof joists installed on the gym/aux gym. 
    • Above ground plumbing work is ongoing.
    • Weather has allowed continued work on the field grading and rock layer. 
    • New field house slab has been prepped. 

    A large steel frame structure under construction, with a crane and workers visible.  A construction site with a crane, a concrete foundation, and a steel frame.

    A gravel pathway leads towards a line of trees, with a fence and a grassy area in the background.  A construction site with a large concrete foundation, rebar, and wooden beams.

    • All underground utility work is complete, and the floor slab has been poured. 
    • The track and field are now at subgrade elevation. Work is wrapping up for the winter and will restart in the spring. 
    • Storm storage vault is in place under the center field.  
    • Curbs and fence posts are 90% complete around the track. 

    A view of a construction site with a concrete curb and muddy ground, with a school building and athletic field in the background. A large, open area with gravel ground, surrounded by trees and a cloudy sky. There are several blue and white flags marking the area.

    A construction site with a concrete pump truck, a white pickup truck, and workers in the background.

    • Underground work at the new building pad is nearing completion.
    • There have been two concrete pours of approximately 140 CY, each for the footings and foundation walls. Building slab on grade is next, followed by exterior walls. 
    • The stormwater storage system under the field has been installed and the grading is near completion. Crushed rock will be spread over the footprint of the track and field to prepare for winter until work can resume in the spring. 

    A construction site with a concrete pump truck pouring concrete into a foundation. A construction site with a yellow excavator, a large tarp, and yellow drainage pipes.

    A construction site shrouded in fog, with workers and equipment visible in the distance.

    • Trenching and underground work ongoing.
    • Field has been stripped and drainage demo’d.
    • Underground storm utility excavation is underway.

    A construction site with a large pile of wooden planks, a yellow crane, and a worker in the distance. A construction site with a red truck, a yellow excavator, and a pile of rocks.

    A construction site with a large drilling rig, an excavator, and a yellow loader.

    • Contractor has mobilized onsite.
    • Site excavation is underway.

    Site Prep Utility Trenching