Lockwood FEMA Safe Room

Lockwood FEMA Safe Room & Recreation Center: A Community Space Built for Safety

Lockwood, MO

The City of Lockwood, Missouri, and the Lockwood R-1 School District joined forces to provide their community with a new FEMA Safe Room and recreation center on the Lockwood High School campus. This $1.6 million, 4,600-square-foot facility serves as both a storm shelter and a multi-use event space, offering safety and recreation for the entire community.

Project Overview
The facility can accommodate up to 460 people for events and 570 people during a storm, ensuring a safe refuge during severe weather. Designed as a versatile space, the building includes:

• A banquet hall
• A practice basketball court and gymnasium
• Two bathrooms, a utility closet, and a storage room

Exterior & Interior Features:
The exterior is finished with sandblast precast concrete, with painted accents featuring the school’s initials and colors. Inside, the building houses a half basketball court with two goals, along with supporting facilities to maximize functionality.

Overcoming Challenges with Smart Solutions
• Unsuitable Soil Conditions: The site contained high amounts of unsuitable soil, and the owner was initially hesitant to pay for soil replacement.
• Limited Parking During Construction: With half of the school’s parking lots inside the construction zone, alternative parking solutions were needed.

To keep the project moving forward, Crossland helped the owner by providing and leveling gravel parking lots to accommodate students and staff. These proactive efforts ensured construction stayed on schedule while minimizing disruptions.

A Facility for Safety & Community Use
This project was incredibly rewarding, as it provides Lockwood residents with a safe space during storms and a valuable community gathering place. Despite challenges, Crossland successfully delivered a high-quality, multi-use facility that will serve the school and the city for years to come.

Project Facts

Cost: $1,650,250
Size: 4,650 SF
Delivery Method: Design-Bid-Build / Hard Bid
Owner: City of Lockwood
Architect: Sapp Design Associates Architects, P.C.