On Tuesday, April 25, A. Martini & Co. hosted a twist on “Bring Your Child to Work Day”, being celebrated later this week across the country, by having a “show and tell” day at Riverview Children’s Center in Verona, PA.
Riverview Children’s Center, an early learning and child care center, is undergoing a major expansion and renovation to accommodate their growing enrollment of over 130 children. A. Martini & Co. is the general contractor on the project and started construction at the school in late March.
“The children were so excited and curious about what was happening outside,” said Betty Lisowski, Executive Director. “They could not wait to get out on the playground each day to see what was happening. They live this every day with construction happening now. It’s so great for them to actually get to see it, talk about it, and ask all their questions.”
Because of all the excitement that was generated from the start of the project, A. Martini & Co. thought they would take advantage of this opportunity, and do a little spin on “Bring Your Child to Work Day”, to provide a learning experience for the students.
The event offered the students and staff the opportunity to:
- Be outside and see the construction happening at the back of the building and see a piece of construction equipment, a backhoe
- Talk to the construction project staff about what they are doing on the project,
- See what they are doing to improve their school,
- Hear safety tips for safe play around a construction zone and
- Answer any questions the students may have about the activities taking place or construction in general
Students had the opportunity to have class pictures taken with the equipment and talk to the construction project team about it. A. Martini & Co. staff were on hand for a class coloring contest and to celebrate the expansion and renovation of Riverview Children’s Center by engaging the children and having some fun while the project is progressing.
“We had a great time engaging with the students and staff at Riverview Children’s Center,” said Zachary Roberts, Project Manager for A. Martini & Co. “They have been so inquisitive in the first few weeks of the project starting this is a great opportunity to ask all their questions.”
And ask they did. When talking to Adam Hathaway, Superintendent for A. Martini, the students asked things like:
- How are you going to build this project?
- What materials will you use?
- What tools do you get to us?
- What color will the building be?
One student in the pre-K class even went so far as to ask “How much money will the project cost?” When he heard the answer – $2.5 million – he said, “Well, I have some quarters in my bank at home that could probably help!”
Executive Director Lisowski’s response to that? “We’ve been asking the wrong donors for money,” she said laughing. “I should have started right here, inside our school!”
Riverview Children’s Center is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar expansion to improve its offerings, with additional space, to accommodate a long waiting list. Expanding and renovating the Riverview Children’s Center has become a priority for the decades-old institution, which has added accommodations in the past but has found itself unable to host larger functions. The independent non-profit is funding the project through fundraising efforts, launched in 2014. Most of the money has come from grants from the state, Allegheny County and foundations, but individual donations have also contributed to the project progression.
Offering prekindergarten education and before- and after-school programs for students in grades K-5, the Riverview Children’s Center was built in 1979, years after its founder started a program nearby for preschool-age children.
About 130 children are enrolled at the center, which also uses a classroom at Verner Elementary School, a 10-minute walk away, for prekindergarten children. More than half of the children are from Oakmont and Verona, with others coming from elsewhere, including Tarentum, New Kensington and other places in Armstrong and Butler counties.
The last time the center underwent a major expansion was in 2000, when it added two classrooms that separated school-age children and preschoolers. The current construction is designed not only to add more space but also to make the building more functional.
For more information on Riverview Children’s Center, visit: https://www.riverviewchildrenscenter.org/
For over 65 years, A. Martini & Co. has been constructing projects across a Western Pennsylvania. As a third generation, General Contracting and Construction Management firm, our principles continue to provide hands-on participation as a commitment to our clients and each of their projects.
A. Martini & Co.’s size, history, and work philosophy are specifically geared to offering the experience, commitment, and partnering approach needed for any project.
For more information on A. Martini & Co., visit: www.amartinigc.com
