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Betsy Lovett Arts Center Receives Award
The craftsmanship of the Betsy Lovett Arts Center on the Bolles middle school Bartram Campus was recently honored by the First Coast Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Dana B. Kenyon Company was the general contractor on the newly constructed arts center and was awarded with its Excellence in Construction Eagle Award. The Eagle Award signifies construction's highest honor.
“We are thrilled with this honor,” said Susan Booth marketing specialist with Dana Kenyon. “This construction competition is one of construction industry's premier annual awards program.”
“The final scheme represents a fine mix of aesthetic beauty, functional quality, cost minimization where possible, and longevity of construction. The style of the building relates to other significant campus architecture. Due to its location and presence, this building sets the tone for the remaining campus architecture,” said Richard Skinner, project Architect.
The doors to the Betsy Lovett Arts Center were opened to the students in October and a grand opening event was held in early November. Facilities coordinator Norman Young, who arrived at Bolles during construction of the project, said of Kenyon, “the individuals at Kenyon are what make them stand out when compared with others with whom I have worked. They are always ‘straight shooters' insofar as commitments and promises to perform.” Young also applauded the efforts of two particular Kenyon employees that he worked with daily, Randal Haines and Frank Manley.
The Betsy Lovett Art Center is now used throughout the day on the middle school campus. A class for drama, chorus, band, or dance fills the stage at almost every hour. In addition, the School has enjoyed using the facility for a new convocation space and it the Middle School Awards Day was brought from Conroy Athletic Center to here for the first time. The upper school Fine and Performing Arts department has utilized the space for performances because of its excellent acoustical benefits and the School has held speaking engagements and parent activities in the beautiful facility.