Owatonna High School – Civil & Structural Engineering for a Modern Community Campus

Project Overview

BKBM Engineers provided civil and structural engineering services for the Owatonna High School campus in Owatonna, Minnesota. The project transformed a large agricultural field into a modern high school with academic spaces, parking, and extensive athletic facilities. Major structural elements included a classroom tower, storm shelter, auditorium, weight room, and gymnasium with a suspended walking track.

Civil site development included tennis courts, a stadium with synthetic turf and track system, baseball and softball fields, a synthetic varsity softball field, and synthetic practice fields. Existing topography and a community drainage ditch made grading and stormwater management key design considerations.

Project Highlights

  • Integrated Academic and Athletic Campus
    • Three-story classroom tower designed around curved corridors inspired by the nearby river.
    • Gymnasium includes a suspended walking track and adjacent weight room.
    • Campus features tennis courts, stadium with synthetic turf and track, baseball and softball fields, and synthetic practice fields.
  • Storm Shelter and Weight Room Integration
    • Weight room located above the storm shelter and cantilevers beyond its footprint.
    • Structural framing designed to keep columns and lateral elements outside the shelter envelope.
  • Complex Site and Stormwater Design
    • Public drainage ditch running through the property influenced building and field placement.
    • Poor infiltration soils required innovative grading and stormwater management strategies.

Engineering Solutions

BKBM developed structural systems that supported the architectural layout while maintaining efficient load paths. Civil engineers designed grading and stormwater solutions that utilized otherwise unused site areas to manage runoff and meet discharge limits.

Results & Impact

The completed Owatonna High School provides a modern learning environment and upgraded athletics facilities for the community. Efficient engineering and favorable bids allowed the district to add additional synthetic fields that were originally outside the project scope.