CAM Releases the Building Michigan Podcast, Episode 23

Detroit Catholic Central George and Mary Turek Hall of Science, CAM’s 2025 Project of the Year

Bloomfield Hills, MI (April 15, 2026) – In Season 5, Episode 2 of the Building Michigan podcast, we delve into the crafting of Detroit Catholic Central’s new George and Mary Turek Hall of Science, which received CAM’s 2025 Project of the Year Award. The $51 million, 57,000-square-foot STEM facility was designed and built, respectively, by CAM members Integrated Design Solutions and J.S. Vig Construction.

Hosted by CAM President Kevin Koehler, this episode features:

• Joe Vig, President and CEO of J.S. Vig Construction
• Adrian LaTona, Senior Associate Architect at Integrated Design Solutions
• Mike Oakleaf, Head of Operations at Detroit Catholic Central

No Classes Cancelled

Detroit Catholic Central was founded in 1928 and is a premier all-boys Catholic college preparatory school on a stunning 115-acre campus in Novi, Michigan. The school maintains a 100% college acceptance rate, with more than 80% of its graduates pursuing STEM majors. “Catholic Central is known as being really a leadership institute,” Joe Vig said. “Maybe the best high school leadership academy in the state of Michigan, one of the best in the country.” Completing construction without cancelling a single class is a point of pride for the project team—one part of the project involved removing and replacing the exterior of a building while classes were going on inside. Safety was of the utmost importance, with one thousand teenage boys conducting usual school business not twenty feet from the construction site.

“I just like to think that because of the love that went into that place and the hard work, [the students’] lives are going to be a little bit better.” – Mike Oakleaf.

 Flying High: Blue Angel Jet Suspension 

The project team worked with national and international experts throughout the project. Novum Structures, LLC, originally a German-based company, delivered the glass façade of the building, designed to be thermally efficient and as clear as possible to show off the Blue Angel A4 Skyhawk jet suspended from ceiling. Before being hung, the jet was stored at the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run, and the suspension was completed by a Smithsonian-certified rigging contractor. The jet, and the school’s newfound relationship with the Air Museum, support Catholic Central’s aviation program and flight simulators. Overall, the hope is that the new Hall of Science will support students going into STEM and the trades. “That's the most gratifying part for us,” said Adrian LaTona. “It's a beautiful building. I don't think anyone would object to that. But to hear the impact that it's had on the school, the greater community, and things looking forward is just spectacular.”

Standing Strong for Another 100 Years

Catholic Central is approaching its centennial in 2028, and the project team kept this in mind throughout construction. While other projects may choose to use more cost-effective materials like drywall and stucco, donor George Turek was specific about his expectations for the building. Materials like limestone, brick, slate, and bronze were chosen intentionally as materials that would last. Even when they begin to age, the signs of wear will become part of their legacy. Mike Oakleaf pointed out that education is constantly changing, which means educational facilities must constantly reinvent and reinvest in themselves. The Hall of Science is the largest campus investment Catholic Central has made in its history. The new facility has provided a boost for previously existent classes and allowed the school to add new ones, and the design was created to be adaptable as the nature of education continues to shift in the coming decades.

“In my 35-year career and the career of the Vig Construction team members, there are very, very few projects that you know with certainty are going to be here 100 years from now and having a real significant impact on the community.” – Joe Vig 

You can learn more about this project—and the other Project Achievement Award winners—in the October 2025 issue of CAM Magazine.

Podcast Information