Chicago’s Austin neighborhood is one of the city’s most at-risk area for its youth. The area celebrated a new beginning for these young people of the neighborhood on August 20 with the opening of By the Hand Club for Kids, a safe haven with structure, spirituality and scholastics. Novak Construction managed the construction for this special client, its second project with them.
Founder/President of Novak Construction, John G. Novak, joined BTH Club for Kids Executive Director, Donnita Travis, and local dignitaries, including Congressman Davis, Ald. Mitts and Ald. Burnett, in celebrating its opening.
“I am delighted to welcome this school to the Austin community,” Novak said. “Having an all-encompassing institution in this neighborhood is sure to make a positive difference in the lives of Austin’s children for years to come. I am proud to have been here in January for this school’s groundbreaking when I put my signature on one of these steel beams. I know that this building will support the learning within its walls and serve as a support system.”
This newly constructed BTH-Moving Everest project – built on an accelerated 35-week schedule – is a 52,000-square-foot school and after-school facility designed to serve 540 children, grades K-5. It also features a multi-purpose gym/cafeteria, 18 classrooms, three computer labs, six break-out rooms, an Art Room, a Special Education suite and administration spaces. Novak‘s Project Team was led by Director, Steve Bykowski, and supported by Byron DeBord (Project Manager), and Joe Salomone, Mark Nickolson (Superintendents) and James Carter (Laborer), along with a host of neighborhood based subcontractors.
