Warren G. Harding Presidential Center

Warren G. Harding, the 29th president of the United States was born in Marion, Ohio. During his time in the state, he bought The Marion Star and developed it into a successful newspaper, served in the Ohio Senate, and served as Lieutenant Governor for two years before being elected to the United States Senate. Warren was known for his “front porch campaigns,” which won him the White House in 1921. Warren served as president until his death in 1923.

Ohio is known as the “cradle of presidents,” with seven presidents being born in the state. The 9,500 SF Warren G. Harding Presidential Center is the third Presidential Center in the state. It sits on the same site as Harding’s former restored home, which is on the National Register of Historic places. The exterior and interior design of the Presidential Center emulates the grand look and feel of government buildings in Washington, D.C. 

We pursued the project because of its significance to Ohio’s history, our knowledge and experience with institutional projects, and the Construction Manager-at-Risk delivery model. Our rich history with building iconic, landmark facilities secured us the project on April 26, 2019. Construction began in June 2019 with a completion date of July 2020. 

From the outset, the project’s commitment to donors was a building dedication on President Warren G. Harding’s 155th birthday (November 2, 2020). That date was set in stone. The design, however, had yet to be completed, and we had to ensure that the proposed design could be completed within their budget. The team knew that we would have to work together in a highly collaborative manner to ensure this could be completed successfully and without losing time.

Our team worked closely with the design team and Ohio History Connection to identify a path forward, which required completing the project in phases, with the administration wing to follow the library and museum. This would enable Ohio History Connection to continue fundraising for the administration wing while the library and museum were constructed on schedule. 

Using preliminary sketches that represented the design revisions needed to build the project in two phases, the Marker preconstruction team developed estimates. We delivered a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) proposal for Ohio History Connection’s acceptance. Immediately following the approval of the proposal, we mobilized and began construction.

Concurrent with construction, the design team had to complete the design, and there was much work to be done that impacted structural, mechanical, electrical, and interior design. Continuing to work with the client and the design team collaboratively, our project management team, estimating team, and critical subcontractors provided design input that helped the project team finalize the design and secure final permits. The extraordinary effort by our team was rewarded with a successful completion and a satisfied client. 

There were numerous design challenges and building code issues that surfaced as the exhibit design and related work were taking place. Rather than take a hands-off approach, which Marker would have been justified in doing, instead we leaned into the issues, working with the various stakeholders and helping to identify solutions so that the work would continue without interruption.

Working with the client on this project, Marker completed the project on time after the original completion date was extended because of shutdowns related to COVID-19. Our team achieved this feat without having to work extended days, weekends, or holidays. We ended up working 24,330 person-hours on this job. Using products and suppliers that were local to Ohio helped with the schedule and resulted in less downtime waiting for projects or shipments from other areas of the U.S. or other countries. 

The Warren G. Harding Presidential Center was delivered in 13 months, on-time and on-budget. We were able to work through a pandemic effectively in a small space and with some design challenges. The finished product is a gem for the State of Ohio.

“This was our first experience using a Construction Manager at Risk and I’d like to thank you and recognize the work you and your team did in walking us through that process. I appreciate the time we spent in meetings and in communication about challenges and opportunities in the project. Overall, thanks to you and your team for delivering a beautiful jewel box of a building for Marion and the Ohio History Connection system. ”

Megan Wood
Ohio History Connection