Wheelchair Lift Improves Access at St. Benedict School
Carl A. Nelson & Company Vice President of Operations (Cedar Falls) Jamie Stanley, left, and Project Manager Pete Fuller, listen as St. Benedict Catholic School Principal Justin Johnson addresses open house attendees Aug. 20, 2026, at the school in Decorah, Iowa. Carl A. Nelson & Company was design-build contractor for St. Benedict's newly installed wheelchair lift that provides two-level accessibility in the school without using ramps or requiring students, staff or visitors to go outside to transit between old and new sections of the building. (photo courtesy Roz Weis / Decorah Leader)
4 weeks, 2 days ago
Carl A. Nelson & Company installed a wheelchair lift at the school, creating an accessible interior connection between building areas.
Carl A. Nelson & Company completed an accessibility renovation at St. Benedict Catholic School in Decorah, Iowa, installing a vertical platform lift inside an existing, unused elevator shaft.
Dedicated Aug. 20, 2026, with a blessing given during a back-to-school open house, the lift creates an accessible interior connection between the school’s old and new building areas. Previously, students and staff unable to use the stairs had to go outside and navigate a two-flight ramp.
“When I became the principal of St. Benedict Catholic School in 2024, I identified a distinct need to make our building someplace that felt like home to anyone who wanted an outstanding, Faith-based education regardless of movement restrictions,” Principal Justin Johnson said.
The school initially considered a conventional elevator with a project budget of approximately $780,000. Installing the lift within the existing shaft reduced the project cost to $228,169. The work also included a partition and corridor separating lift access from an adjoining preschool classroom.
Carl A. Nelson & Company completed the project between June 13 and July 31, self-performing the drywall, finishes and most other construction work. Specialty contractors completed the electrical work and lift installation.
Johnson said Project Manager Pete Fuller, Superintendent Chad Sawyer and the field team understood the school’s needs, listened throughout the process and completed the renovation within its limited summer construction window.
“The team at Carl A. Nelson set the standard” on the company’s core values of Fairness and Honesty, Quality Workmanship and Service Second to None, Johnson said, “building a level of trust that assures they will be our first call on projects in the future.”
With the work complete, St. Benedict Catholic School is fully accessible to those unable to use stairways.
Wheelchair lift inside St. Benedict Catholic School, Decorah, Iowa. The installation was a design-build project of Carl A. Nelson & Company. (photo courtesy Roz Weis / Decorah Leader)