Designs on construction.(elemntary schools in Arlington, Texas)(Brief Article)

Speed of completion using design-build is proving persuasive

GREATER METROPLEX -- When Arlington ISD voted to move to a full school day for kindergartners, it was faced with a dilemma.

Some 37 of the district's 42 elementary schools were ill-equipped to handle all their students at one time. Before the 2000-2001 school year rolled in, additional space had to be found at each kindergarten site.

Mike Slataper, CEO of Dallas-based design-build firm Ramtech Building Systems, watched his firm turn AISD's dilemma into Texas' largest design-build school project.

"Speed was the driving feature," says Slataper.

Using the traditional design-bid-build procedure, it would have taken up to three years to bid all 37 sites and complete construction. Ramtech completed the entire project in 15 months.

The AISD experience demonstrates the attractions of design-build, once stereotyped as a quick-fix construction …