Granby’s Munn Architecture, which has designed several projects benefitting schools in Grand County, most recently contributed to Middle Park High School’s career technical education building expansion.

Munn broke ground on the building Sept. 14; construction will wrap up in early 2024. Renovations include an 11,000 square foot addition to house the career technical education program; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades; and interior and site improvements.

Voters passed a bond program for facility improvements to make this project possible. Career technical education opens up career pathways by combining academics with technical skills and hands-on training, so students can hit the ground running after graduation.

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“With respect to the CTE building, as a local business that utilizes some of CTE programming that’s currently planned, it’s an absolutely incredible opportunity to watch this facility generate young minds and locals to follow in the trades that we work with on a daily basis,” said J. Scott Munn, the principal architect of Munn Architecture.  

Munn explained that students can practice welding or woodworking in the building, then use those skills in the construction industry after graduation. Students may go on to become general contractors, in charge of creating the buildings that Munn Architecture has designed.

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“It really comes back full circle if you think about it in those terms,” said Munn. “As a local business who gives back 100% to our other local businesses, I think that this new CTE building is going to be an absolute incredible asset to the community.”

Munn said his company could also work with students who are inspired by trades other than construction, since many careers are intertwined.  

“There’s a myriad of different opportunities,” said Munn. “Even if a baker, for instance, comes out of that CTE program in respect to restauranteurship, that person might want to open up their own new business, and they might need our architectural services in order to make that dream happen.”

Munn said his team was hired to assist in the design process by Denver architect Hord Coplan Macht.

“(Hord Coplan Macht) are truly the school experts, and we couldn’t be lucky enough and honored enough to be able to work with (them) to help utilize this local bond money with the opportunity for some of that money to stay here locally,” said Munn.

Granby’s Big Valley Construction is also involved in the expansion. Big Valley partnered with Denver-based JHL Constructors to make Hord Coplan Macht and Munn Architecture’s designs a reality.  

“Big Valley is a local company, again in order to utilize the amazing grant dollars that our taxpayers trusted us to utilize,” said Munn.

After this summer, Munn Architecture is looking forward to future projects benefitting Grand’s students. They will be working on the new Granby Elementary School, to begin construction this spring, and remodels for Fraser Valley Elementary School.

“We also worked with JHL on the last security upgrades for all the schools. We’ve got a wonderful working relationship with JHL,” said Munn. “We can’t be happier to be working with them and Big Valley for all these projects.”