Barton Pond Elementary School
Barnhill Building Group partnered with Wake County Public Schools to deliver Barton Pond Elementary School, a modern 108,530-square-foot elementary school designed to support innovative learning, student wellness, and long-term educational success. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, the new two-story school was constructed on approximately 35 acres and provides a welcoming, flexible environment that serves students, educators, and the surrounding community.
Delivered using the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, Barton Pond Elementary was carefully planned to create safe, engaging learning environments while supporting the operational needs of one of the nation’s largest public school systems. Every aspect of the project reflects Barnhill’s experience delivering high-quality K-12 education facilities throughout North Carolina.
The campus includes extensive site development, grading, storm drainage, underground utilities, paving, sidewalks, landscaping, fencing, and outdoor gathering areas that create a safe and accessible learning environment. Dedicated student drop-off and parent circulation areas improve traffic flow while enhancing campus safety for students, staff, and visitors.
Inside the school, the first floor serves as the academic and administrative hub. It includes administration offices, student services, resource rooms, art and music classrooms, kindergarten through second-grade classrooms, a welcoming media center, and a 300-seat cafeteria designed to accommodate students throughout the school day. Flexible multipurpose spaces encourage collaboration while supporting a variety of educational programs and student activities.
The second floor houses classrooms for third, fourth, and fifth-grade students along with additional resource rooms and collaborative learning areas. Three classroom wings branch from the school’s central academic core, creating intuitive circulation while allowing each grade level to maintain its own identity. Throughout the building, learning commons and flexible collaboration spaces encourage group learning, project-based instruction, and student engagement.
The building was constructed using shallow cast-in-place concrete foundations with a structural steel frame complemented by load-bearing masonry construction. Exterior walls feature brick veneer over CMU backup with spray foam insulation, while a modified bitumen roofing system provides long-term durability and energy performance. High-quality finishes throughout the building include CMU and gypsum board partitions, acoustical ceilings, plastic laminate casework, resilient flooring, painting, and durable educational building specialties selected to withstand years of daily use.
Large windows bring abundant natural daylight into classrooms and shared learning spaces, creating bright educational environments that promote student focus and teacher effectiveness. Vibrant interior finishes, flexible furnishings, and collaborative spaces support modern instructional methods while creating an inviting atmosphere for students of all ages.
Outdoor spaces are equally important to the campus design. Modern playgrounds, age-appropriate recreation areas, outdoor learning opportunities, and landscaped courtyards extend educational experiences beyond the classroom while promoting physical activity and student well-being.
Barnhill’s extensive experience delivering education projects allowed the team to coordinate every phase of construction efficiently while maintaining high standards for quality, safety, and schedule performance. Close collaboration with Wake County Public Schools, the architect, consultants, and project stakeholders ensured that every aspect of the facility aligned with the district’s long-term educational vision.
Today, Barton Pond Elementary School serves as a vibrant learning environment that supports academic achievement, creativity, collaboration, and student development. The project demonstrates Barnhill Building Group’s expertise in elementary school construction, K-12 educational facilities, public school construction, and Construction Manager at Risk delivery throughout North Carolina, creating durable, flexible learning environments that will benefit students and educators for generations.
