Schoolcraft College Recreation Center

Schoolcraft College was developing a recreational facility that would be used by a local hospital. As a member of the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing organization, Schoolcraft connected to BlueScope Construction, a Sourcewell contract holder, to provide the building structural design, manufacturing, and steel erection of the project.

The project, christened the Mercy Elite Sports Center, features a recreational facility that allows for 8 volleyball courts or 4 basketball courts. It connects to an existing facility via a connector building.

Because the project was built adjacent to an existing facility, care was taken not to interrupt ongoing campus operations. Plans requiring street closings were coordinated with Schoolcraft College and the on-site general contractor.

The facility was under construction when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but construction continued because the project was considered an essential facility. COVID protocols including safe distancing, hand sanitizer stations, and using thermometers on-site were instituted, along with additional safety measures. Even with the additional pandemic protocols in-place, BlueScope Construction went from having steel on-site to a finished building shell in just five months.