August Calendar Spotlight: Herrick Middle School at Downers Grove Grade School District 58

Our featured calendar project for August is the transformation of Herrick Middle School in Downers Grove, Illinois, completed as part of the Downers Grove Grade School District 58 $179M Referendum Program. Since 2022, Bulley & Andrews has served as construction manager for the referendum initiative, which will deliver secure vestibules, air conditioning, life safety upgrades, and newly renovated facilities across all 13 schools by the end of summer 2026.

As the largest project within the $179M referendum program, the Herrick Middle School $53M additions and renovation demanded careful planning, complex phasing, and seamless coordination on an occupied campus. Throughout the 2024–2025 school year, the team constructed four additions totaling 45,000 square feet, including a new main entrance and administration wing, a storm shelter gymnasium, commercial kitchen, classrooms, and an atrium library. Over the summers of 2024 and 2025, an additional 90,000 square feet of the existing school was completely renovated—one of the most challenging K–12 projects undertaken by the Bulley & Andrews team to date.

Student safety remained the highest priority throughout the 18-month construction effort. By coordinating closely with school leadership and the community, the onsite team minimized disruptions while completing more than 150,000 work hours with zero lost-time incidents.

Our project team also brought B&A’s Behind the Fence program to Herrick Middle School and O’Neill Middle School students, giving them a behind the scenes look at the construction that had been happening all around them. Students toured their future learning spaces, experienced the construction process firsthand, and connected classroom concepts to real-world applications. The program also allowed students to explore careers in construction, connect classroom learning to real-world jobsite applications, and how diverse trades and professionals work together to deliver a project. To learn more about the Behind the Fence program, click here.

With construction complete, Herrick Middle School will welcome approximately 900 students for the 2026–2027 school year, including sixth-grade students in the building for the first time. The completed project reflects Bulley & Andrews’ commitment to delivering complex educational projects through collaboration, thoughtful planning, and an unwavering focus on safety and quality.