Bigger and Better Student Center to Open This Fall at Morehead

[metaslider id=4872] Since Aug. 26, 2016, the Adron Doran University Center (ADUC) has been bustling almost daily with noise, foot traffic and activity – but that hasn’t been coming from students. Nearly two years ago, MSU broke ground on a $49.5 million project to renovate and expand the facility. Now that construction is nearing completion, […]

“Level Up” Your School Safety Design

  “Level Up” is a term that I was introduced to by my children while they played video games. As they reached certain milestones in the game they would proudly announce “We LEVELED UP!.” Leveling up was, to my surprise, a great achievement in their world of fictional conflicts. The built environment, the architecture of […]

Are Your Classrooms’ Architectural Designs Too Old School?

  Ask any educator and they will tell you that statistics show most students’ grades drop during the middle school years. Professionals studying the phenomenon attribute it to the difficult social adjustments that come with the transition from childhood into young adulthood. So the question is – Can teachers and teaching techniques transform to better […]

Board of Education approves design schematics for $13.3 million MCHS Renovation

  The Marshall County Board of Education has approved design schematics to present to the Kentucky Department of Education in a planned renovation project at Marshall County High School. Justin McElfresh, representative for Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects, reviewed design plans with the board during a regularly-scheduled meeting Thursday and told board members that the firm […]

Jennings Creek Elementary, WCPS recognized for efficient energy use

  When students begin classes at the new Jennings Creek Elementary School next fall, they’ll walk into a facility that uses a fraction of the energy of a typical school. On Friday, the school stood as an example for concrete industry representatives who toured the school’s construction site to get a better understanding of its use of insulated concrete […]

Reading, Writing & Renovating

Student Safety – Most renovations require more than 12 weeks during a summer and require “construction and instruction” occurring simultaneously.  Barricades to separate construction zones from the school community, reviewed by the local building inspector, are a must since all life safety systems, such as fire and sprinkler, need to be maintained during the construction phase. […]

UK Law ‘Raising the Bar’ With $56 Million Building Project

Law School Renovation & Expansion New Exterior View of Memorial Hall Lawn

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 7, 2017) — The University of Kentucky College of Law began a new chapter with a ceremonial groundbreaking this morning on Mandrell Hall’s front lawn, across the street from the Law Building, now undergoing construction. UK President Eli Capilouto and UK Law Dean David A. Brennen were joined by students, faculty, staff, donors and […]

Floyd Co. past and present school leaders, community officials dedicate new high school athletic complex, named for the school board member’s family foundation that helped fund it

Current and former Floyd County School District officials joined local government officials and state representatives for the dedication of the Floyd Central High School athletic complex on Aug. 25. The athletic complex was dedicated in honor of the Varia family. That family foundation, founded years ago by school district board member Dr. Chandra Varia and […]

ADUC renovation and expansion half way complete

The Adron Doran University Center renovation and expansion on the campus of Morehead State University is now 54 percent complete. The $49.5 million project broke ground one year ago on Aug. 26., 2016. The construction will add 75,000 square feet and renovate almost every area of the existing structure. Changes to the building are based […]

New Dining Options Highlight SAC Renovation

  When Austin Correll, a senior political science major, came back to campus for the fall, he was pleased to see new dining options in the Student Activities Center. Just a week into the new semester and he has already spent some time sampling the new menus including Olilo, which serves Mediterranean cuisine. “It was […]

New Warren County School Continues Energy Efficiency Program That’s Saved $11 Million

A new elementary school under construction in Warren County is the latest building in the school district designed to reduce, or eliminate, the cost of energy.  The energy program is even earning money for the district. Construction equipment and work crews crisscross the site of the new Jennings Creek Elementary on Russellville Road in Warren […]

Beecher Terrace residents relocating; demolition could start by year’s end

The aging Beecher Terrace public housing complex in Russell long has been considered an eyesore, and efforts are well underway to relocate tenants for its demolition. Tim Barry, executive director of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, said Monday that 155 of the 758 units inside the sprawling public housing development have been vacated as part […]

New Taylorsville Elementary School is top of the line

Taylorsville Elementary net zero energy school

At one time, there was a stigma attached to attending Taylorsville Elementary School. It was known as the old school, the lesser school, or the inferior school. Some of those labels were unfair, but the stigma was real. Today, that stigma has been destroyed. Come next week when students in Spencer County return to class, […]

$15-million youth center coming to Jessamine County

         NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children and Youth along with many state and local leaders broke ground this morning on a new $15 million youth center. A special ceremony was held for the future youth center located at 1115 Ashgrove Road in Nicholasville. The 31,000 square foot facility […]

MSU’s New Breathitt Veterinary Center

Murray State University’s (MSU) new Breathitt Veterinary Center was recently dedicated as a capacity crowd of collegiate, government and agriculture leaders gathered marking the occasion. The new 77,000-square-foot facility, located in Hopkinsville, is one of the most modern animal diagnostic veterinarian labs in the country with 53,000 square feet of diagnostic space and the only […]

Why Schools Are Embracing Net-Zero Energy

Richardsville Elementary - The Nation's First Net Zero Energy Public School

In Portland, Maine, the chair of a building committee dreamed of a schoolhouse that could offset the transportation energy required for students to commute to school. In Arlington, Virginia, a school architect argued he could reduce energy costs without increasing his budget. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the school district, inspired by a climate action plan adopted […]

Green Building in the Commercial Sector

After South Warren Middle & High School was awarded the, “Education Best In Class” from ICF Builders Magazine, the magazine asked Sherman Carter Barnhart Principal, Kenny Stanfield, AIA, LEED AP to author an article regarding the impact ICF has had on the design of energy efficient schools. To read the article in its entirety, please […]

City lands huge grant for Russell redevelopment

Louisville is getting nearly $30 million in federal grant funding to help revitalize the Russell neighborhood, just west of downtown. Mayor Greg Fischer on Monday announced that Louisville is receiving a $29.5 million implementation grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative program. The federal funding is expected to leverage […]

Sheppard Square Earns Kentucky Housing Corporation – Innovative Solutions: Energy Efficiency—Urban Award

Sheppard Square - 255 new units of affordable housing within six blocks, offering a variety of housing choices.

Awards honoring excellence and innovation in affordable housing were presented at the 2016 Kentucky Affordable Housing Conference in Louisville, which was held October 18-19. The awards honor innovative techniques and strategies used by Kentucky Housing Corporation partners to meet the needs of Kentuckians. “Kentucky Housing Corporation and our partners are committed to helping others achieve […]

Centre Meadows Earns Kentucky Housing Corporation – Innovative Solutions: Housing Preservation Award

Centre Meadows

Awards honoring excellence and innovation in affordable housing were presented at the 2016 Kentucky Affordable Housing Conference in Louisville, which was held October 18-19. The awards honor innovative techniques and strategies used by Kentucky Housing Corporation partners to meet the needs of Kentuckians. “Kentucky Housing Corporation and our partners are committed to helping others achieve […]

Warren Co. board settles on architect to design new elementary; district “on a tight schedule,” could opt to use an existing design done by firm to save time and money

A new elementary school Warren County Public Schools hopes to complete by August 2018 now has an official architect firm to design it.   Board members unanimously voted Thursday to name Lexington-based Sherman Carter Barnhart as that firm. Member Don Basham didn’t attend the meeting.   Board Chairman Kerry Young said the firm stood out […]

Up, up and away: EC3 launches new Air and Space Academy

In Hardin County Schools’ first week back, Xander Allen, Zarrius Hildabrand and other freshmen could be caught making and flying paper airplanes at the Early College and Career Center.   But the students weren’t passing notes or causing trouble. Instead, they were completing one of the first assignments in the district’s new Air and Space […]

Methodist Home to break ground on $15 million Jessamine facility

The Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children & Youth will break ground July 18 on a $15 million campus in Nicholasville for abused, neglected or abandoned children. The program is moving from the Woodford County location where it has been since the 1930s. The new campus will feature residential facilities for 20 teens ages 12 […]

Methodist Homes moving to Jessamine County

One of the state’s longest operating organizations for children made plans official this week to set up residence in Jessamine County in 2017. The Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children and Youth announced Monday they have sold their flagship and primary residential facility in Versailles and will move to 36 acres at 1115 Ashgrove Road […]

The World Is Watching

In support of global action regarding Climate Change, the Climate Reality Project, brainchild of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, broadcast a global multi-media event as part of the 2015 United Nations Climate Summit in Paris. This event, entitled “24 Hours of Reality – The World is Watching” urged world leaders to acknowledge the necessity […]

Announcing our Newest Principals!

Kevin Cheek, Assoc. AIA, CEFPI Educational Planner and Justin McElfresh, AIA, CID, LEED AP   Kevin has been with Sherman Carter Barnhart since 1996. He works exclusively in our education studio, leading the programming and design of educational projects in Boyd County, Casey County, Corbin Independent, Elliott County, Floyd County, Glasgow Independent, Graves County, Laurel […]

Sheppard Square Block B – Enterprise Green Community Certified

Congratulations Louisville Metro Housing Authority’s Sheppard Square Block B for being been approved as a Enterprise Green Community Certified development. Enterprise Green Communities certification demonstrates the design team’s commitment to providing high performance, healthy homes for low-income families.

PCA Resilience Leadership Award

The Portland Cement Association presented a 2016 Resilience Leadership Award in the category of New Public Building to Sherman Carter Barnhart for our work in the Warren County School District.  The Resilience Leadership Awards recognize the individuals, organizations and projects that have advocated, communicated and showcased the benefits of resilient construction and the importance of […]

How the Tough Got Going in Kentucky

When I first stepped into Ricky Thacker’s classroom, I was surprised by how unusual it looks. There are no desks. White boards hang from every wall. The entire room is painted bright orange and yellow, like candy corn. Ricky stood in the middle of the room, calling out coordinates on a giant x-y axis he […]

Bill Gates Writes About His Trip To Eastern Kentucky

After a visit to eastern Kentucky that was shrouded in mystery, Bill Gates finally wrote about his visit to a school in Floyd County. Gates visited Floyd and Pike Counties last year. His itinerary was not public, but pictures of the philanthropist began popping up on social media.  Gates was visiting the Appalachian counties for several days on […]

Smoketown replacement housing on schedule

The massive effort to replace extensive housing in the Smoketown neighborhood after eradication of the barracks-style Sheppard Square public housing development is winding down, and “the citizen response has been fantastic,” Mayor Greg Fischer said Tuesday. Construction of 287 rental units is nearly finished, with many units already occupied and a waiting list for the rest, said […]

EC3 facility energy performance better than anticipated

Hardin County Schools Early College and Career Center is more energy efficient than expected, according to officials from Sherman, Carter, Barnhart, the architect firm that designed the building. A 10-month measurement reveals the building has an energy use index (EUI) of 24. The EUI looks at how much energy is used in terms of gas […]

U of L approves $40 million renovation of student activities center

The University of Louisville board of trustees has approved a $40 million upgrade of the Swain Student Activities Center, which is located on the university’s Belknap Campus. The project is expected to add 32,775 square feet to the 365,666-square-foot building, according to a news release. The four-story structure was built in 1990 and is the […]

First new school in Breckinridge Co. in 20 years

WDRB 41 Louisville News LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — After a big donation for education, a groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday morning for the new Irvington Elementary School in Breckinridge County. Local business owner Joey Crist bought the land across from the current school a couple of years ago, but decided it could be put to […]

HCS approves first Cecilia Valley design

Hardin County Schools’ Board of Education took the first step Thursday evening in determining what Cecilia Valley Elementary School will look like. The board approved a schematic design — the initial attempt to show members the school’s plan and appearance. The Kentucky De­part­­ment of Education requires a schematic design to be approved by the board […]

Laurel Schools Center For Innovation dedicated

On a sunny, bright Friday morning in front of 150 persons along with school, city and county officials, one snip of the scissors cut through the ribbon in front of the new Laurel County Schools Center For Innovation. The 76,000 square foot, two story building on 4th Street is now officially open. And the striking, […]

Total Learning Environment

When creating a building with net zero as a goal, buy-in from its occupants is crucial. That message has come through loud and clear at Richardsville Elementary, where energy usage has remained steady for five years and being a member of the student-led energy team is a prestigious, sought-after role. “Our energy team in that […]

Five years of operation and ‘zero’ to show for it

It’s easy to be dazzled by Richardsville Elementary’s array of solar panels, its compact but attractive building footprint and the homey but “green” finishes, all of which contribute to its status as the nation’s first net-zero energy public school. But the secret to the Warren County school’s success is the people who have occupied it […]

CMTA Lexington Office Building Earns LEED Platinum Certification

CMTA’s Lexington office is the first LEED® Platinum office building in Kentucky and the first LEED® Platinum building in Lexington. LEED® Platinum projects are required to meet a minimum of 80 points across seven categories including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation, and regional priority credits. CMTA’s […]

Boyd Middle Renovation Plan Unveiled

Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects unveiled designs Tuesday for a remodeled Boyd County Middle School they say will be safer, more attractive and better designed for teaching and learning. The school will have more windows and open areas and better security at its entrances. Traffic patterns will be reconfigured to make bus and car traffic more […]

Schematic design approved for new Corbin Middle School

A preliminary design for the new Corbin Middle School was approved by the Corbin Board of Education Thursday. Kevin Cheek, with Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects, presented the schematic design chosen by middle school staff members to the board. Cheek originally presented staff members with three designs during a discussion session last week, however, the staff […]

Groundbreaking Officially Starts MSU Projects

Three new buildings soon will start to take form on the main campus of Morehead State University and at its Derrickson Agricultural Complex. Ceremonial ground was broken Thursday to signify the start of projects estimated to cost $48.3 million.  The projects are identified as the East Parking Complex/Dining Commons, Main Campus Residence Hall and Derrickson […]

Draft program for new Corbin Middle School approved

          After looking at a presentation filled with squares, classroom areas, requirements, space options and square feet, the Corbin Board of Education has a               plan. As a result, the board approved the draft program from the architectural firm of Sherman Carter Barnhart — with […]

Floyd Co. school consolidation plans continue forward

Plans are moving forward to combine Allen Central and South Floyd high schools under one, brand new roof. Floyd County School Board members met briefly Monday to take care of a few details relating to the land where the school will be built. The site is picked out and plans are on paper for the […]