Detroit Lakes High School Expansion & Renovation
Project Overview
Finnish Painting was selected to support a 300,000+ sq ft, $31 million addition and remodel at Detroit Lakes High School. This large-scale project combined new construction with phased renovations, requiring careful coordination to keep the school operational throughout the process.
The work was completed over multiple phases, including two summers dedicated to renovating occupied areas, while new additions were constructed during the school year.
Scope of Work
Our team provided full surface preparation and painting services across both renovated and newly constructed spaces, including:
- Interior painting for remodeled classrooms and common areas
- Coating application in new construction areas, including:
- Auditorium
- Classrooms
- Full 3-court gymnasium
- Surface prep, patching, and finishing across a wide range of substrates
- Coordination with multiple trades to maintain workflow and deadlines
Each phase required flexibility as work areas shifted between occupied and active construction zones.
Challenges
This project required strict phasing and schedule control to accommodate both school operations and construction timelines.
Key challenges included:
- Tight summer timelines for renovating occupied spaces before students returned
- Continuous coordination with construction managers and multiple trades
- Working in active construction zones during the school year
- Compressed schedules; as one of the final trades on site, our working window was often reduced by delays earlier in the construction sequence
Despite these constraints, maintaining schedule was critical to the overall success of the project.
Results
Finnish Painting successfully delivered results across all phases by:
- Adapting to shifting timelines and compressed work windows
- Maintaining strong coordination with construction managers and other trades
- Completing work on schedule, and often ahead of schedule
The finished project provides Detroit Lakes High School with modern, high-quality learning and activity spaces built to perform for years to come.
This project reinforces our ability to perform in complex, phased construction environments while consistently meeting demanding timelines.
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