Swank Enterprises honored for work on Wachholz College Center

The Montana Contractor’s Association has awarded local contactor Swank Enterprises an Excellence in Construction award for the company’s contributions to Flathead Valley Community College’s Paul D. Wachholz College Center.

Swank Enterprises received the “Best Institutional Project” award, which was presented on Jan. 24 at the 2024 MCA Winter Convention in Bozeman. The company served as general contractor on the project. 

The Wachholz College Center is a 58,000-square-foot building housing a performing arts center and gymnasium. It opened on the FVCC campus in November 2022. 

McClaren Hall is able to accommodate concerts, lectures, dance performances, and musical theater productions with seating for over 1,000 people. The Stinson family Event Center is a dual court gymnasium that doubles as an event venue and fitness center. 

Swank project manager Grant Kerley reflected on the process to create such a unique building serving very different functions.

“There is not a facility like this in the entire state or region,” Kerley said. “This project demanded a unique level of complexity that has not been experienced previously in Montana.”

FVCC President Jane Karas applauded Swank’s contributions to the project.

“FVCC appreciates our partnership with Swank and the high level of craftsmanship, expertise and professionalism they brought to this unique project,” she said. “We want to recognize and thank them for a truly world-class venue that will be enjoyed by the entire Flathead Valley community now and into the future."

Combining a performing arts hall and gymnasium into one building was no easy feat, noted Kerley. 

“The project’s design challenges — or rather opportunities for creativity and invention — involved delivering superior acoustic performance as well as acoustic separation of the different programs, while connecting the two in a natural, harmonious manner.”

In order to achieve the goal of hosting simultaneous events in both the performing arts hall and the events center, Swank utilized several innovative techniques. 

“McClaren Hall is designed around the theory of unamplified sound, which means the space uses its forms, shaping, mass, and material textures to project the sound to the audience without the need for microphones and speakers,” he said. “To prevent sound transmission through the steel and building materials the connecting atrium was designed with minimal contact to the performance hall.”

Kerley also noted that the choice to use precast concrete panels in the construction of the building played a large role in meeting all of the project’s goals. Precast concrete is created by pouring concrete into a mold and allowing it to cure before transporting the concrete product to the project site. Swank utilized precast concrete panels for the building’s primary structure. 

Using precast concrete contributed to the acoustic aims of the performance hall, as the panels keep low-frequency sounds within the hall while keeping unwanted noises out. In addition, the choice to use precast concrete allowed Swank to save costs in materials and expedite the construction timeline, the company notes. 

For Kerley and other members of the Swank team, working on this project was an exciting opportunity to provide a unique space for the community, and the award is merely a recognition of that process. 

“Taking time to understand the design goals and create unique solutions seemed to invigorate all individuals. Everyone realized the magnitude of this project for the community and there was pride in knowing they were working on something truly special.”