A visual representation of the new Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School building by an artist.
THE installation of 20 modular classrooms at Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School is now 95% complete, and a new 40-room main building will soon be constructed, according to the contractor, CJ Innovation.
The modular classrooms are made of cutting-edge materials, while the new main building will be constructed using high-tech architecture and innovative engineering methods, the contractor added.
The notice of intent to award the project contract to CJ Innovation was issued on Nov. 15, 2024.
Jung Hoon Kim
According to the notice of award, “after the evaluation, [the Public School System] determined that CJ Innovation’s … proposal [is] determined … to be the most advantageous to PSS.”
Hopwood is one of the schools that were severely damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu in October 2018.
The CNMI government received funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Hopwood’s reconstruction, but it took many years before a contractor was selected and approved to begin the project.
The project is under the supervision of the Office of the Governor, the CNMI Public Assistance Office and PSS.
Five Star Builders employees apply the finishing touches to the newly installed modular classrooms of Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School in San Antonio on Tuesday.
Temporary classrooms
Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the $4 million modular classroom project will provide Hopwood students with temporary classrooms.
According to CJ Innovation Construction Manager Jung Hoon Kim, they were awarded the contract “after a lengthy, very rigorous and fair process.”
“We were told that the first priority was to improve the learning environment for the students, the CNMI’s future generation, by the construction of new classrooms at Hopwood,” Kim said.
He said the pre-engineered modular classrooms, as well as the materials they will use to build the main school building, are made with autoclaved lightweight concrete or ALC. He said it is an eco-friendly building material that is highly insulated, sound-proof, 100% fire-resistant, moisture-proof, lightweight but strong.
ALC, he added, will be used for the exterior walls and interior spaces to ensure that students can focus on their studies in a comfortable and safe environment.
The facade of Hopwood’s modular classroom building.
Freddie Cataluna, president of Five Star Builders, which provided construction workers for the project, said, “Our sincere appreciation to CJ Innovation management and staff for this huge opportunity to be part of this very noble endeavor to benefit PSS, and the community and most especially, the students.”
Cataluna said Five Star Builders “looks forward to [providing] continuous services to a prestigious company like CJ Innovation for all its future construction projects in the region.”
He also commended Gov. Arnold I. Palacios for his “strong drive to improve the island’s school facilities and provide the best learning environment for the students.”
Future main building
As for Hopwood’s main school building, the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided $25.112 million in 2020 for its construction.
“Unforeseen factors” caused a delay in procurement, but a request for proposals was eventually issued on May 31, 2024.
Kim said the new school building “will be a major leap forward for CNMI schools in terms of engineering design. It will [be] a unique structure that will enhance the school campus’ aesthetic appearance,” he added.
Kim said the basic structure of the new school building will be steel, making it extremely strong and able to withstand typhoons with strength of up to 218 miles per hour.
He said Pohang Iron and Steel Company’s globally recognized Posmac (magnesium aluminum alloy coated) products, which have a 25-year warranty, will be used for the exterior walls to ensure that the building will be strong and rust-proof.
Kim said CJ Innovation has “exclusive access to … innovative construction materials.”
As part of an energy-saving plan, he added, the building’s rooftop will be equipped with photovoltaic panels, a renewable energy source, to meet most of the school’s electricity needs.
Kim said this will “dramatically” reduce the school’s power bills and “contribute to climate protection.”
All building materials, he added, will be pre-fabricated and then assembled at the site to ensure a “shorter construction period but a highly sophisticated outcome.”
Kim said the new Hopwood school building will be completed quickly and will be both durable and visually appealing.
“Going forward,” he added, “CJ Innovation will repay our customers’ support by building beautiful and durable buildings in a quick process using globally recognized quality building materials based on our rich architectural design technology.”
