Wright City R-II School District

Since 2009 Cochran has had the privilege of partnering with the Wright City R-II School District team on more than 20 project sites, and continues today with ongoing consulting and projects. The District projects are a series of new construction and infrastructure improvements/additions to various Wright City R-II School District campuses to accommodate District and individual campus growth, enhance safety, and create a more efficient, and aesthetically cohesive environment.

New 122,000 SF High School on Roelker Road — 2025

Cochran collaborated with Bond Architects to design a new 122,000-square-foot high school campus, the first built by the Wright City School District in over 50 years. Designed to serve the area’s growing population, the modern facility features a storm shelter, outdoor classrooms and courtyards, and extensive athletic fields. This new campus welcomed students in January 2025.

Cochran provided full site development services, including ALTA and topographic surveys, conceptual and detailed site design for the school, parking areas, track, and athletic fields. Additional services encompassed off-site sanitary sewer design and easements, a sanitary grinder lift station, roadway widening for Roelker Road, and a box culvert for a creek crossing. Cochran also conducted a cultural resource survey, bat survey/call identification, and coordinated utilities for ancillary campus buildings.

East Elementary Building Expansion — 2024-’25

Cochran worked with Bond Architects to deliver a 10,600 SF eight-classroom expansion of the District’s East Elementary School, which also serves as ICC 500 Rated storm shelter for the Wright City community. Funding was provided through a no tax increase bond. The project was completed in two phases:

Phase 1, completed in 2024 at a cost of $2 million, included a 5,300 SF expansion to provide for four classrooms, a storm shelter and restrooms; and

Phase 2, completed in 2025, included another 5,300 SF four-classroom addition.

Cochran provided topographic survey, preliminary site plan, site design services, access road revisions and construction staking. This included a grading plan with SWPPP, storm sewers, and pavement plan.

Maintenance Building — 2020

Cochran provided survey, design and bidding documents for a new pole barn maintenance facility. Cochran served as the District’s representative during construction, ensuring project plans and specifications were followed.

Parking Lot Improvements — 2019-’20

Cochran provided project specifications, bidding services and construction administration services for improvements for the middle school parking lot (completed 2019) and the high school parking lot (current).

New 18-Acre Early Childhood Center — 2014

Cochran provided the planning and civil design for the site layout, survey, geotechnical investigation and construction documents. Sustainable design features include the recycle and regional materials, a low impact design and rain gardens assisting in the reduction of storm water runoff.

High School Athletic Complex — 2012-’13

The complex facility improvements included the planning and design for the construction of a new football field, baseball field, and the reconstruction of the athletic complex. Additional improvements and additions to the athletic complex include a new track, football field facility, press box bleachers, a new football practice/soccer field along with the reconstructed of the current baseball field. There were several site modifications to improve storm water drainage, ADA access, vehicular circulation and the overall campus appearance. An additional parking lot was designed and constructed with renovations and modifications made to the existing parking lot and adjacent areas. The project was completed by D.C.&E, Inc. for a cost of $1,337,000.
Cochran provided survey, planning, design, bidding and construction administration, inspection and testing services. Sustainable design features included recycled and regional materials and a low impact design to reduce storm water runoff.

High School Restroom Renovations — 2012

Cochran performed planning, design, bidding and construction administration.

Wright City Elementary School, 2012

Cochran performed the parking lot design including all asphalt paving for the parking areas. Bus traffic was evaluated to ensure adequate and safe movements for drop off and pick up of students. All storm and sanitary was designed to handle the new school and ensure the parking drainage had no bird baths or low areas in the pavement. Cochran designed the entrance to the school consisting of 1320 linear feet of 7“ concrete street extending from Cotton road to the proposed 12-acre site of the elementary school.

Construction phasing was designed to allow traffic to enter and exit the site for construction during the construction of the concrete entrance road. The Wright City school was under time constraints to open the new school allowing time for the school board to make appropriate decisions on what grades would attend the school initially, therefore Cochran had to ensure all construction could be performed simultaneously.