Stuff Blown Up: Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center

2023 STUFF Wisconsin

When completed this year, the Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will offer more than 29,000 square feet of fitness space, eight basketball courts, an ice rink, an eight-lane, 25-yard recreational pool, indoor jogging track, performance training center, teaching kitchen and sports simulators. While it is a $113 million project, it takes more than just money to make impressive projects like this a reality. Planning for the project dates back to 2012, as part of the development of a master plan for recreational facilities at UW-Madison. Architects and engineers were selected in 2019 and construction started in 2021. There are countless jobs and companies that contributed along the way and each of those offers its own unique career opportunities. Take a closer look at some of the jobs and companies making the Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center a reality.

CONTRACTORS

In construction, a general contractor often works with several subcontractors to complete a project. Each company specializes in a specific area, giving them expertise to make sure the job is done right and on budget. Here are some of the Wisconsin-based companies that worked on the Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center:

  • 1901 Inc. | Madison | HVAC pipe & ductwork, air handling equipment, stream fitting pipe and equipment
  • Pieper Power | Milwaukee, Janesville, Madison, Neenah, Green Bay, Merrill, Fond du Lac | Electrical, low voltage data and fire alarm systems, and audio/visuals
  • PCI Austad Inc. | Sun Prairie | Ceiling grid/tile and wall panels
  • Monona Plumbing and Fire Protection | Madison | Plumbing lines, drains and fixtures
  • Blair Fire Protection | Butler | Dire suppression and sprinkler lines
  • Wall-tech | DeForest | Metal stud framing and gypsum board install, GFRG column wraps, soffit framing, and sheetrock
  • Howard Grote & Sons | McFarland | Painting and wall papering
  • JP Cullen | Janesville, Madison and Milwaukee | Iron work, steel structure erecting and handrails; masonry/bricklayer, burnished block, backup block, limestone, cast stone; concrete, all slab work, curbs, exterior hardscape and planter boxes, stair shafts; and carpentry, casework, door frames and set doors, toilet accessories, corner guard, wood ceiling, and wall panels
  • Corcoran Glass & Paint | Greenville | Glazing contractor, window and door frames and glass, nanawall (a single bi-folding door that stacks up as it is opened)
  • Amigo Construction LLC | Cambridge | Exterior metal paneling and soffit
  • Nelson Excavating & Son | Oregon I Site earth work
  • Olson Toon Landscaping Inc. | Verona | Landscaping contractor
  • Maly Roofing Inc. | Madison | Roofing contractor
  • Zander Solutions | Verona | Hot applied roof work, air/vapor barrier contractor

CONSTRUCTION JOBS

It takes hundreds of people to complete major construction projects and even small projects require many people to get the job done. Just like companies specialize, many construction workers are trained in specific trades. While there are plenty of opportunities for general labor work on construction sites, there are opportunities to earn even more money with specialized training. Here’s a closer look at some of the jobs that played a central role on the Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center project. You can learn more about these jobs and others at onetonline.org.

Construction Laborers: This position performs physical labor on a construction site, including operating power tools and other equipment, preparing sites, digging trenches or setting braces, erecting scaffolding and cleaning up rubble and debris. You’ll work with others, spend time outside in the elements and often be standing on your feet. It is a job that requires communication, knowledge of construction, dexterity and strength, dependability and attention to detail.

Wisconsin wages:

Low $29,220 | Middle $45,670 | High $62,480

Bricklayers: This job is responsible for using mortar and other substances in building and repairing walls, partitions and other structures with materials like brick, structural tile or blocks. It is a job that requires both independence and cooperation along with attention to detail and integrity. You will need core strength, hand steadiness and the ability to see details at close range, plus construction and design knowledge.

Wisconsin wages:

Low $38,980  |  Middle 61,720  |  High $80,350

Carpenters: Workers in this trade build, install and repair structures made from wood and other materials. Think of things like the framework of a building, stairways, window and door frames and floors. They may also install cabinets, siding or drywall. It is a job that requires measuring, cutting and fastening materials. You’ll need to get information, work with others and pay attention to details.

Wisconsin wages:

Low $36,960  |  Middle $48,890  |  High $77,460

Iron Workers: This job is responsible for raising, placing and connecting steel and iron to form the basis of structures. It is a job that requires reading blueprints to determine locations and materials to use, connecting parts with rivets, bolts or welding and working with other trades to move materials into place. You’ll need to inspect materials, deal with potentially distracting noises and be comfortable working in high places.

Wisconsin wages:

Low $46,650  |  Middle $75,100  |  High $96,030

Operating Engineers: Responsible for operating equipment like graders, bulldozers, tractors, shovels and front-end loaders, this job excavates, moves and grades dirt, erects structures and pours concrete or other hard surface pavements. You’ll operate big pieces of machinery, coordinate actions with others and understand the consequences of a mistake could be extremely serious. In addition to operating equipment, you’ll also need mechanical and equipment maintenance knowledge.

Wisconsin wages:

Low $46,250  |  Middle $61,240  |  High $95,040