How Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) helped deliver New Mexico's largest preschool through partnership, transparency, and early problem-solving

When people see a new school, they notice the finished building. They see bright classrooms, colorful hallways, playgrounds, and excited students beginning a new chapter.

What they don't see are the thousands of decisions that happened long before construction began.

For Farmington Municipal Schools' new Preschool Academy, the largest preschool facility in New Mexico, those early decisions proved just as important as the building itself.

Rather than relying on the traditional Design-Bid-Build process, the district selected a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, bringing Jaynes Corporation onto the project while design was still underway alongside FBT Architects.

That decision fundamentally changed how the project was delivered. Instead of handing completed drawings to a contractor, the owner, architect, and builder worked together from the beginning to solve problems before they reached the jobsite.

Predictability Matters to Public Owners

Public construction projects aren't measured only by whether the building is completed. They're measured by whether budgets are protected, schedules are met, and public trust is maintained. CMAR provides owners with greater visibility throughout the process, enabling governing boards and community stakeholders to make informed decisions before issues become crises.

Traditional construction often creates a sequence. The owner hires an architect. The architect completes the design. Contractors bid on the finished documents. Construction then begins.

Only then do constructability issues, budget pressures, material availability, or schedule conflicts become visible. When these issues arise, difficult conversations often occur within the traditional Bid-Design-Build delivery model. And costs play a major role. 

But under CMAR, those conversations happen months earlier and typically avoid these issues.

Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) brings the contractor onto the project during design, rather than after the design phase is complete. Instead of simply bidding on finished drawings, the contractor, like Jaynes, works alongside the owner and architect to provide ongoing cost estimating, constructability reviews, scheduling insights, and risk management. Once the design reaches an agreed-upon stage, the contractor commits to delivering the project under a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP).

The real advantage isn't the contract; it's the collaboration. By involving the builder while key decisions are still being made, owners gain real-time insight into cost, schedule, and constructability. Problems can be solved on paper instead of in the field, where changes are almost always more disruptive and expensive.

For the Farmington Preschool Academy project, FBT Architects and Jaynes worked together throughout design development to evaluate materials, construction sequencing, cost implications, and opportunities to improve efficiency without compromising educational goals.

"Good collaboration with CMAR isn't about changing the vision," says Michele Carter, Principal at FBT Architects. "It's about bringing different perspectives to the table early enough that the best decisions can be made."

Instead of discovering challenges after construction begins, the team addresses them while solutions are still inexpensive. That's a significant advantage for public owners working with taxpayer funding.

CMAR Cost Transparency: Budget as an Early Conversation Instead of a Surprise

School districts face an especially difficult challenge. They aren't simply building facilities. They're managing public investments that must withstand community scrutiny while serving students for decades. One of CMAR's greatest strengths is cost transparency.

Throughout the design process, Jaynes provided ongoing cost estimates, enabling Farmington Municipal Schools to understand how design decisions affected the project budget.

Rather than waiting for bids to reveal whether the project remained affordable, the district could make informed decisions throughout the design process. That continuous feedback reduced uncertainty for everyone involved. 

It also helped preserve the design intent. Instead of large redesign efforts late in the project, adjustments could be made incrementally as the project evolved.

Field Experience Shapes Better Design

Construction drawings communicate intent. Field experience explains how those ideas become reality. That's where experienced builders add value long before concrete is poured.

Jaynes General Superintendent Neil Reese says one of CMAR's greatest benefits is having construction professionals involved while design is still taking shape.

"Our responsibility isn't simply building what's on paper," Reese mentions. "It's helping the entire team understand how today's design decisions affect tomorrow's construction."

That perspective can influence everything from building sequencing to material selection to long-term maintenance.

Many of those conversations never become visible to the public. But they improve the final project.

Solving Problems Before They Reach the Jobsite

Every construction project encounters challenges. Successful projects aren't the ones without problems. They're the ones that solve problems quickly, with coordination and input from the project team, long before they become expensive headaches.

Neil Reese has spent decades watching projects succeed because teams communicate early.

"The best construction problems are the ones nobody ever sees," Reese says. "If we can identify a conflict during planning instead of during construction, everyone wins."

That's especially important on educational projects where schedules often revolve around academic calendars.

Unexpected delays don't simply affect contractors. They affect teachers, staff, parents, and students preparing for a new school year.

CMAR gives project teams more opportunities to anticipate risks rather than react to them.

Better Buildings Begin with Better Relationships

One of the defining characteristics of successful CMAR projects is trust. And that trust isn't automatic. It requires hard work. It develops through consistent communication, transparency, and shared objectives.

Throughout the Farmington Preschool Academy project, Farmington Municipal Schools, FBT Architects, Jaynes, consultants, and trade partners maintained a shared focus: creating an exceptional learning environment for children.

That alignment made decision-making faster. Questions were answered sooner. Potential issues were discussed openly. Solutions reflected the expertise of the entire project team instead of any one organization. Ultimately, that's what collaboration is. Not fewer opinions. More perspectives brought together with a shared purpose.

Investing in Students Before the First Day of School

When students walk through the doors of the Farmington Preschool Academy, they won't care about which delivery method built their school. They'll experience a facility designed specifically for early learning. In this place, classrooms support curiosity, educators have the resources they need, and families feel welcomed from the moment they arrive.

Those outcomes begin long before ribbon cuttings. They begin with owners choosing processes that reduce uncertainty, encourage collaboration, and prioritize long-term value over short-term transactions.

“It's quite magical when an owner, design team, and builder come together with a common purpose,” says Jeremiah Hayes, Vice President for Jaynes Corporation's Four Corners Division. “The CMAR process allows the team to align early on a project, cultivate great team dynamics, and keep the teachers and students the driving ethos behind all of our efforts. It also allows us to resolve issues early in the design phase — issues that could become major disruptions during construction. When done right, the community, the schedule, the budget, and everyone connected to the project benefit.”

For Farmington Municipal Schools, CMAR wasn't simply a contracting method. It was a commitment to partnership. For FBT Architects, it meant designing alongside construction professionals who could strengthen the vision through practical expertise. For Jaynes, it meant delivering more than a building. It meant becoming part of a team working toward something larger than construction itself.

And for generations of Farmington families, the new school will provide a stronger start for thousands of young learners whose educational journeys begin within walls built through collaboration. Farmington Preschool Academy wasn't simply a successful construction project.

It was a collaborative process focused on giving Farmington's youngest learners the best possible start.

‍