Highland Park High School, established in 1886, chose cost-effective precast concrete for its latest addition, seamlessly blending limestone-like panels with existing brick, showcasing an effective enhancement for older buildings.

An excellent example of precast construction’s cost savings, LAPPCO was chosen for a budget-conscious school project. The all-precast panels were finished on-site with a painted finish.

This project utilized all precast prestressed, load-bearing, acid-etched panels, highlighting the significant cost-effectiveness and time savings of precast concrete. The accelerated schedule had all panels erected within a week, further minimizing time and labor costs.

The high school addition features striking prestressed, insulated, acid-etched load-bearing panels with circular windows, showcasing the benefits of sandwich wall construction—solid, quick installation, and pre-finished tough interior walls.

Ideal for schools, prestressed sandwich wall panels encapsulate insulation, offering excellent R-values and efficient installation. The tough finished interior eliminates the need for costly finishing, while the acid-etched exterior provides an attractive look.

LAPPCO played a vital role in Chicago’s $150 million University Center, the largest joint residence hall in the U.S. Catering to 1,700 students from Columbia College, DePaul University, and Roosevelt University, LAPPCO created and installed 1,400 custom-designed precast panels within a strict timetable. Completing the 18-story, 702,000 sq. ft. building in two years was a priority, influencing the construction manager’s choice of LAPPCO for the project team.