Holy Cross School

Holy Cross School sustained unprecedented damage to its lower 9th Ward campus as a result of Hurricane Katrina and the events that followed. Realizing the complicated nature of the recovery effort and the FEMA Public Assistance program, early in the process, the Holy Cross Board determined to hire a “project manager” or owner’s representative to help the administration with recovery efforts.

From the beginning, The Sulzer Group worked with GOHSEP officials to support replacing the devastated campus. The Holy Cross School project involved numerous program issues, including the initial damage assessment, insurance reconciliation, and 50% calculation for the facility repair/replacement analyses. The project involved a change of location and the resulting FEMA Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) review. The Holy Cross project involved multiple eligible facilities, temporary facilities, and contents. Holy Cross relocated its campus from the 9th Ward and built four actual cost replacement projects and a Student Center, which was approved as a consolidated alternate project.

Overall, the Sulzer Group managed the programming, design, construction, and grant process on behalf of Holy Cross. The Holy Cross High School and Middle School Buildings and the Central Plant opened at the start of the 2009-2010 academic year. The Administration Building was completed in time for the beginning of the second semester, and the Student Center opened in January 2011.