Tour & Dinner Presentation

Mercer Middle School

Thursday, October 16, 2025
Tour: 4:30 – 5:30 pm PT
Dinner/Presentation: 6:00 – 8:00 pm PT

Sitting atop the ridge of Beacon Hill in Seattle, the reimagined Mercer Middle School transforms a once underutilized, paved site into a vibrant, sustainable learning environment deeply rooted in community and nature. The new design restores the land’s natural topography, integrates native trees, and repositions the school as a welcoming neighborhood landmark.

A collaborative stakeholder engagement process—including students, educators, and community members—shaped the project’s guiding principles, sustainability goals, and spatial organization. Serving 1,000 students, the school’s classroom wings are placed at the rear of the site for privacy and direct outdoor access, while the main entry, gym, and commons sit at the street edge, reinforcing its connection to the community. A central corridor, inspired by the land’s native name meaning “green and yellow spine,” informs the building’s layout, materials, and color palette.

Sustainability is at the heart of Mercer Middle School’s design. A mass timber structural system—featuring glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT)—reduces embodied carbon while celebrating natural materials. A ground loop heat pump, strategic daylighting, and a durable brick façade enhance energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. Low-VOC materials support occupant well-being, and expansive views connect students to the surrounding community and distant mountain ranges.

By blending ecological restoration, forward-thinking design, and deep community engagement, Mercer Middle School is more than a place of learning—it stands as a beacon of sustainability and a lasting source of neighborhood pride.

Learning Objectives:

• Sustainable Design & Mass Timber Implementation: Understand how the use of mass timber, including glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT), reduces embodied carbon, enhances biophilic design, and contributes to the school’s sustainability goals.
• Community-Driven Design Process: Explore how an inclusive stakeholder engagement process—including students, educators, and community members—shaped the school’s guiding principles, spatial organization, and sustainability strategies.
• Site Restoration & Connection to Nature: Learn how the project restores natural topography, integrates native landscaping, and prioritizes outdoor learning spaces to create a vibrant, ecologically responsive campus.
• Energy Efficiency & Healthy Indoor Environments: Examine the integration of high-performance design strategies such as a ground loop heat pump, daylighting, a durable brick façade, and low-VOC materials to enhance energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality.

Project Team:
Architect of Record: Bassetti Architects
Landscape Architect: SiteWorkshop
Structural Engineer: Coughlin Porter Lundeen
Electrical Engineer: Hargis Engineers
Civil Engineer: AHBL, Inc.
Contractor: Cornerstone General Contractors
Specialized Consultants: Cost – WT Partnership; Food Service – JLR Design Group; Mechanical Engineer – Hargis; Environmental Planning – ESA; Acoustics / AV – A3; Arborist – Tree Solutions; Low Voltage – TFWB, Commissioning – KBA
Owner: Seattle Public Schools

Dinner Program Presentation

PROCUREMENT-LED DESIGN: Responding to Supply Chain Disruptions in K-12 Construction

Global disruptions like COVID-19, natural disasters, and shifting trade policies have fundamentally altered how facilities are planned, designed, and delivered. Traditional approaches to procurement and bid packaging are no longer enough to address escalating costs, unpredictable lead times, and compliance complexities such as Buy America and BABA requirements.

This session brings together an owner’s representative, designer, and contractor to explore how teams must rethink their questions and strategies at every project phase to mitigate risks cause by supply chain complexities. Participants will learn how to design with flexibility, plan for early procurement, and package bids to mitigate risk and maintain educational priorities. Real-world examples will illustrate how to address these challenges no matter the delivery method.

Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to anticipate market volatility, protect budgets, and deliver projects that meet community expectations.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze how global supply chain pressures including tariffs, material shortages, and compliance mandates affect design decisions, procurement timing, and project delivery.
• Evaluate how procurement strategies evolve across project phases (planning, schematic design, permitting, construction documents) and identify the types of questions teams should be asking at each milestone to mitigate risks.
• Develop bid package approaches that support early procurement, maintain schedule integrity, and align with delivery method goals (DBB, GC/CM, PDB,).
• Integrate compliance, cost, and risk considerations into decision-making to balance educational program needs with fiscal stewardship and operational impacts.

Speakers:

Ashley McClaran, Associate, STV
Ashley brings 25 years of experience leading planning, design, and construction programs that strengthen communities. With a foundation in architecture and construction, she bridges the technical and human sides of capital projects, focusing on collaboration, transparency, and shared success.

Across her career, Ashley has worked on a wide range of projects – aquariums, zoos, cultural institutions, schools, and universities – all with a common purpose: to educate, inspire, and serve communities. Most recently, her work has centered on transforming K-12 learning environments across the U.S. She is known for bringing together diverse voices, fostering meaningful engagement, and guiding teams through complex decision-making. Whether facilitating community conversations or navigating challenges on the job site, Ashley’s focus remains on creating spaces that reflect the values and aspirations of the people they serve.

Andrew Johnson, President, Lydig Construction
Andrew is the President of Lydig Construction, overseeing the company’s operations in the Western Region, particularly focusing on projects west of the Cascades within the Pacific Northwest. While Lydig primarily operates in Washington, it holds licenses in thirty-one states, allowing for a broad geographic reach. Currently in his nineth year as President, Andrew has led the company through several global and domestic disruptions that have impacted the construction industry while still successfully delivering projects to owners and clients. Andrew’s project experience spans all market segments and all contracting types. He works directly with key project stakeholders and leadership to establish performance requirements and ensure satisfaction on all Lydig projects. Andrew is a DBIA Associate and LEED Green Associate and was named one of Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2023. When not working, Andrew enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young sons.

Melissa Pendleton, Director of K-12 Business and Construction, McKinstry Energy
Melissa is the Director of K-12 Business and Construction for McKinstry’s Energy Division, where she leads energy-focused upgrades and system replacements in schools across Western Washington. With more than 14 years of experience, she is solely dedicated to the K-12 marketplace, bringing deep expertise in navigating the unique challenges of school construction and facility improvement.

Melissa partners closely with school districts across Washington and Oregon, helping them modernize building systems, reduce energy consumption, and improve learning environments—all with minimal disruption to the classroom. Her work has been instrumental in guiding clients through complex market conditions and supply chain challenges, always with a focus on delivering long-term value to students and communities.

Outside of her professional role, Melissa enjoys skiing and exploring the outdoors with her husband and two young boys.

Schedule:

4:30 – 5:30 pm	Tour Mercer Middle School 1600 S. Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108
6:00 – 8:00 pm	Dinner The Georgetown Ballroom 5625 Airport Way South Seattle, WA 98108

Rates:

Private Firm Member	$70 / $80
Private Firm Non-Member	$90 / $100
School Districts / Government Agency	$35

Please register so we can get an accurate head count.

Registration closes on October 15.
Early bird registration closes on October 9.

We greatly appreciate your attendance and active participation in our chapter events.

Payment / Cancellation / Substitute Policy

1. All registration payments are required prior to the start of the event.
2. I cannot attend the event. Can I get a refund?
   All requests for cancellations and refunds must be made in writing and emailed to Rain Maldonado with “WA DATE Cancellation Request” or “WA DATE Refund Request” in the subject line. No refunds will be issued for registrations cancelled or created 2 weeks prior to the event date. Credit card refunds will be issued at the time of cancellation. Check refunds will be issued within 60 days of the cancellation request. Please note there will be no refunds for no show attendees.
3. Can I send someone in my place if I am unable to attend? If so, how do I do that?
   Yes, if you will be unable to attend you can send someone else in your place. To do this, please provide a written request to Rain Maldonado, stating the name of the person who cannot attend and the person’s name that will be replacing them. Please be advised: substitution of a person in a different registration category may result in additional fees or a refund. If payment has not been received then the new attendee is responsible for payment. Refunds of this nature will be issued immediately, all additional payments will be required prior to the start of the event. Substitutions will be honored no later than 2 weeks prior to the event date.