The 65-ft-tall Jerry Fay Wilhelm Center for the Performing Arts is the first performing arts center in Bastrop County as well as its tallest building.
The steel-framed facility was constructed under the construction-manager-at-risk delivery method and is built with brick, stone and stucco veneer on CMU and metal studs. The lobby is a wood beam and decking structure enclosed with a large glass curtain wall. The project was completed on schedule and more than $10,000 under budget.
One of the project’s primary challenges revolved around site location. The site is located next to active railroad tracks, which made the acoustical design and construction a critical component of the project.
Together, Pfluger Associates Architects and Bartlett Cocke General Contractors designed and constructed unique acoustical features into the facility to mitigate potential sound/noise control challenges. The team designed and built an insulated double-layer sheetrock ceiling approximately 50 ft above the finish floor to dampen sound.
Auditorium interior walls consist of three independently framed and insulated walls with multiple layers of sheetrock on each wall. Stage and black-box roof structures consist of metal decking and concrete to deaden the noise. Additionally, the ductwork is large to slow airflow, which reduces noise from the HVAC systems.
Key Players
Submitted by: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
Developer/owner: Bastrop Independent School District, Bastrop, Texas
General contractor/construction manager: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, Austin
Architect: Pfluger Associates Architects, Austin
Civil engineer: I.T. Gonzalez Engineers, Austin
Structural engineer: Datum Engineering, Austin
