Challenge

CELA was envisioned as a one-of-a-kind private Christian academy designed to integrate academic excellence, Christian leadership training, and extracurricular programming under one roof. The Pewaukee community had no comparable facility that could support such a comprehensive mission.

The project required converting a vacant former school building into a cutting-edge facility that could serve over 400 students at capacity, with specialized spaces for academics, athletics, performing arts, and worship.

Funding came through a nonprofit foundation model, requiring Catalyst to steward donor resources carefully while still delivering a facility that met ambitious programming expectations.

Tight delivery window: the facility needed to be ready for occupancy in time for the 2015–2016 academic year, leaving little margin for construction delays.

Solution

Catalyst Construction served as construction manager, partnering with PRA to adapt the building and grounds into a state-of-the-art K–8 academy.

Renovations and additions created:

• A full-size gymnasium and athletic facilities
• Performing arts auditorium with stage and AV systems
• STEM-focused classrooms with integrated technology
• Chapel/worship space to serve as the spiritual heart of the campus
• Cafeteria and multipurpose gathering areas for school and community events.

Catalyst managed competitive bidding and subcontractor coordination for specialized school systems (fire protection, MEP, acoustics, technology integration).

Sequenced work aggressively, prioritizing classrooms and core systems first, then finalizing performance and worship spaces, to ensure certificate of occupancy was achieved before the start of the school year.

Impact

• Delivered a distinctive academy that blends academics, faith, athletics, and arts in one unified campus, making it one of the first schools of its kind in the region.
• Created a home for over 400 students, teachers, and families, designed to grow future Christian leaders by combining education with faith formation and extracurricular enrichment.
• Enhanced Pewaukee’s educational landscape, drawing families from across southeastern Wisconsin to enroll in a high-quality alternative to public education.
• Reinforced Catalyst’s reputation as a builder of complex educational and faith-based facilities, capable of balancing donor stewardship, design vision, and schedule execution.