New Jersey Schools Development Authority Celebrates Construction Milestone with
Beam Signing Event in Perth Amboy

EAST ORANGE, NJ – New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) CEO Charles McKenna joined Perth Amboy School District students and local officials today at a ceremonial beam signing event for the new Seaman Avenue Elementary School. Today’s event highlights the construction progress of the new school, with the steel structure nearly complete.

"Today's ceremony provides an opportunity to highlight the progress of construction for the new Seaman Avenue Elementary School which will offer countless new opportunities to help students learn, grow and succeed," said SDA CEO Charles McKenna. “Construction of this school exemplifies the SDA's commitment to reducing overcrowding in Perth Amboy schools through the delivery of new school facilities."

The Seaman Avenue Elementary School will be a new 128,000-square-foot facility designed to educate approximately 800 students in grades kindergarten through five. The 3-story building will be constructed on District-owned land. The school will include 38 classrooms, six Small Group Instruction Rooms, four Basic skills/ESL/Resource rooms, a Science Demonstration Room, a speech room, vocal and instrumental music rooms, a computer lab, a gymnasium, a media center, a cafeteria, a multipurpose room with stage, outdoor play and learning areas. The facility is currently scheduled to open to students in 2019.

"This next step of the Beam Signing for the Seaman Avenue Elementary School signifies the continual commitment of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA), SDA CEO Charles McKenna and Governor Phil Murphy in supporting our school community in establishing dynamic educational facilities that support the academic, social and emotional development for students within Perth Amboy Public Schools," said Dr. David Roman, Perth Amboy Superintendent.

The school is being built using the design-build approach. This method differs from the traditional approach in that SDA contracts with one firm for both design and construction of a school facilities project. The design-build method also allows for some design and construction activities to proceed concurrently through phased advancement, an approach that potentially allows for improvement upon the original overall schedule.

EPIC Management, Inc. of Piscataway was awarded a $43.6 million design-build contract for the design and construction of the school. As part of the design-build contract, EPIC Management, Inc. is working with DIGroup Architects of New Brunswick on the design. GREYHAWK North America, LLC of Mt. Laurel is managing the project. The total estimated project cost is $56.4 million.

The SDA has invested nearly $93 million in completed projects in Perth Amboy alone since the inception of the school construction program. Its current portfolio of active projects is valued at approximately $2 billion – including the Capital Project portfolio, emergent projects, and Regular Operating District grants.