Kraus-Anderson completes Quora Education Center in Little Canada to serve students in general education and special education programs
August 14, 2018
Grand opening scheduled for 2pm, Wed., August 15
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (August 2018) – Kraus-Anderson Construction Company (KA), one of the Midwest’s oldest and largest commercial general contractors and construction managers, has completed Quora Education Center, a new $43 million special education school for Northeast Metro 916 Intermediate School District.
A grand opening will be held from 2-6:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 15 at 70 W. County Road B2 in Little Canada.
The three-level, 157,000-square-foot school serves 300 students in grades 5-12 in general education and special education programs. The building also includes administrative offices for more than 200 staff.
Within the special education programs, Northeast Metro 916 provides services for students who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental cognitive disabilities (DCD), emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) and other health disabilities.
Quora is more than a place for students to learn. It is a center that acknowledges the extraordinary needs of children with mental and behavioral challenges. Until recently, most special education classrooms have been retrofitted from conventional classrooms to serve students who have not always found success from traditional schools. Quora’s innovative, purpose-built design supports the students’ unique learning styles and behavioral and mental health needs, including speech language and various related services.
KA partnered with Lawal Scott Erickson Architects (LSE) to design and construct Quora to feature natural light and access to natural scenery, and sound remediation to create a quiet and calm atmosphere for students. The building’s layout allows for classroom, small group and individual learning environments with improved lighting, air quality and temperature control.
The design departs from traditional school floor plans by creating pods of learning communities, developing more open and daylit spaces that assist faculty and support the students as they learn life skills of self-regulation, coping, communication, self-efficacy and socialization.
Quora will serve five unique programs for students needing a wide range of services that support them in reaching their educational goals. The open design empowers students to flow through the space, while providing staff the ability to maintain sight and control.
Quora Education Center is the third special education school built for Northeast Metro 916 by Kraus-Anderson, one of the area’s largest construction manager of schools for students with special needs. Others include Karner Blue Education Center, a K-8 school in Blaine, Minn.; and Pankalo Education Center, a K-8 school in Lake Elmo, Minn. KA also has built other special educational schools in Minnesota, including RiverEast in St. Paul, Fraser Clinic in Woodbury, Early Childhood Family Center in Stillwater, River Bluff Education Center in Red Wing, and Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders in Duluth.
About Kraus-Anderson
Established in 1897, Kraus-Anderson® Construction Company (www.krausanderson.com) is one of the nation’s premier commercial general contractors and construction managers. Kraus-Anderson continues to lead the field of regional education construction projects and is currently ranked sixth in the nation in the construction of K-12 facilities by Building Design and Construction magazine. The company also remains the top construction manager of education facilities in the region.
Kraus-Anderson, an Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and has regional offices in Madison, Wis., Bismarck, N.D., and Duluth, Bemidji and Rochester Minn.