At a glance
"We are ecstatic to have placed first in this design-build competition. Our team's winning design, paired with our detailed schedule and accurate estimate for the project execution, is a testament to our careful preparation and attention to detail. We are incredibly proud of our accomplishment and look forward to seeing the impact this experience has on our future education and career endeavors.”
Alfred State placed first in the design-build division in the Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 Student Competition held recently in Albany.
The design-build category was one of four divisions (pre-construction, commercial, and heavy-civil) at the event. Alfred State took the top spot ahead of Farmingdale State College and Roger Williams University. ASC also had a strong showing in the commercial division.
Architecture and Design Chair and Professor Bill Dean advised the design-build team along with Civil Engineering Technology Chair Professor Erin Vitale who also advised the commercial team. Members of the design-build team included JoAnna Musacchio (Canastota, NY), Juan R. Perez (Centereach, NY), John Snyder III (Hamburg, NY/Eden), Colin W. Thompson (Webster, NY), Alex Vaquero (Newburgh, NY), and Connor T. Weihoneig (Rochester, NY).
“This was a great group to work with due to their ability to organize themselves and complete the complex tasks they were presented with within a relatively short period of time. Their level of preparation was exceptional, and I couldn’t be more pleased the outcome,” said Dean.
Five weeks prior to the competition weekend, teams received an initial Request for Proposal (RFP) that contained preliminary project requirements. The design-build competition centered on a two-story, 60,000 square foot railway maintenance facility.
In preparing for the competition, the team met with Spencer Read, president of Mitchell Design Build (Rochester, NY). Read provided valuable insight to the design-build process and gave the students a foundational understanding of the necessary details to create a winning proposal.
On the first day of competition weekend, teams received project documents at 8 a.m. and had 16 hours to complete their submission to the judging team comprised of a sponsoring firm, who created the challenge. The team’s submission included conceptual building plans and elevations, an itemized estimate, a comprehensive schedule as well as safety and site logistic plans.
The next day, teams gave an oral presentation to the project sponsors and judging team, who then judged the written submissions and the oral presentations and ranked the top three teams.
Musacchio, who served as the team’s project manager, said, "We are ecstatic to have placed first in this design-build competition. Our team's winning design, paired with our detailed schedule and accurate estimate for the project execution, is a testament to our careful preparation and attention to detail. We are incredibly proud of our accomplishment and look forward to seeing the impact this experience has on our future education and career endeavors.”