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Minnehaha Academy announces rebuilding firms

Two local firms will handle the design and reconstruction of Minnehaha Academy's upper campus following last summer's deadly natural gas explosion.

MINNEAPOLIS - Minnehaha Academy's Board of Trustees has selected the engineering and construction firms that will bring the school's historic upper-campus back to life after last summer's deadly explosion.

School President Dr. Donna Harris announced Friday that Cunningham Group will provide architecture and engineering services, while Mortenson Construction will handle the rebuilding process.

"We are confident we have assembled a team that has the capabilities to handle a fast track building project while ensuring a thoughtful and deliberative process, keeping quality at the forefront," said the school's President Dr. Donna Harris.

Cunningham Group has previously worked with Minnehaha Academy in the design of the school's STEM Lab and science renovation, while Mortenson prepped and rebuilt the temporary school in Mendota Heights that is currently hosting upper classmen.

A video released Thursday gives an up-close glimpse of some of the damage caused by a powerful natural gas explosion that occurred August 2 as crews attempted to relocate gas meters in the central area of the upper school campus. Windows and ceilings of the building's interior are completely blown out, brick walls caved in and crumbled, wood and metal framing ripped from their anchors and snapped like toothpicks.

Crews are on site doing smaller demolition and cleanup work on the central section of the upper campus building this week, before the heavier work of tearing down the 1912 and 1922 buildings begins next week. Demolition is slated to wind up by the end of January.

The explosion claimed the lives of two Minnehaha Academy employees -- long-time receptionist Ruth Berg and custodian John Carlson -- and injured a handful of others. Berg's estate has filed suit in her death.

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