Hawkins Construction Co.

Scope Of Work

The University of Nebraska hired Hawkins Construction in 2011 to build the new Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center on their Omaha campus. This 90,000 SF building serves as place where students, faculty, non-profit groups, and community members can meet and collaborate.

The main and 2nd level is constructed of conventional structural steel and concrete composite metal decks. This building was designed to be flexible for both the university and the community and contains offices, work rooms, common spaces, and large conference rooms.

The lowest level of the building consists of parking, mechanical and storage space and is constructed of cast-in-place foundation walls, precast walls, precast columns, inverted T's and double T's. The facility is supported on auger cast piles.

While working within the limited parking areas at the University, Hawkins understood that the key to keeping the project on schedule was to phase the parking lot construction so parking was always available. Hawkins constructed the new parking lot by the library before the building itself, which minimized the loss of spaces during the project.

This project was completed on schedule, and through value engineering efforts Hawkins returned a cost savings of 1.4% back to UNO.

“The dream for this building is to create the space for the community to become all it can be. For people to come together to work for the greater good of all of Omaha’s citizens. If the dream of this building can come true so can the dream of a community that cares for its citizens.”  - Barbara Weitz, Weitz Family Foundation