San Diego's South County, one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, will experience unprecedented expansion in the coming years. Thousands of new homes, businesses, roads, parks and people are already on their way to the area, including kids. And where there are kids, there has to be new schools.

The Rancho Bernardo-based Douglas E. Barnhart Inc., ranked the 14th-largest educational facility builder in the country by the Engineering News Record, is leading the construction surge of the South Bay's new schools.

The National City Higher Education Center is one of the largest education developments now under way in the South County. The $20 million project is a joint effort between Southwestern College, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego State University and National City.

Barnhart Inc. is constructing the 3.4-acre center, which will include 12 classrooms, various laboratories, a lecture hall, a family resource center and a child-care center.

The National City Higher Education Center is one of the largest education developments now under way in the South Bay. The 3.4-acre center will include 12 classrooms, various laboratories, a lecture hall, a family resource center and a child-care center.

Barnhart Inc. also broke ground earlier this year on the Anne and William Hedenkamp Elementary School in Chula Vista. The 40th school in the Chula Vista Elementary School District, it will be ready to open its doors in September.

At 75,000 square feet, Hedenkamp Elementary will have seven separate buildings and 40 classrooms, with each classroom including a large display screen to project Internet information, curriculum, class work and more.

Another groundbreaking is planned in August for the district's 41st school in the San Miguel Ranch neighborhood.

The firm has also kicked off a modernization project for Rodgers Elementary. In San Ysidro, the firm is building Sunset Elementary. Added together, Barnhart Inc. has about $60 million of school projects under way in South County. When they are completed, the firm will have added more than 360,000 square feet of school and educational support space to the area.

Additionally, the firm has been selected as the construction manager for the upcoming National City Municipal Library.

In addition to new construction, the firm has been active in the construction and modernization of many educational projects in the South County, including Heritage Elementary School, Corky McMillin Elementary School, Salt Creek Elementary School and modernizations to nine of Chula Vista's elementary and charter schools, as well as the Orchid Award-winning South Chula Vista Library. The South Bay Union School District is also another past client.

"It is tremendously rewarding to build schools and other educational-related facilities," said Doug Barnhart, chief executive officer of the firm. "We are creating environments that enhance the educational experiences of thousands of young people. Well-built schools and libraries serve as cornerstones of a community. They are part of the social fabric of the residents' lives, and will provide a source of public pride for many decades."

Barnhart Inc. began its educational focus 15 years ago when it built a small school northeast of Escondido. Though it was a small rural project, the educational facility represented a turning point for the company.

"Not realizing the magnitude of this market at that time, we were in on the ground floor," Barnhart said. "I began observing upcoming educational projects, and I knew we were ahead of the curve. We had six successfully completed projects, trained and efficient school crews and a subcontractor following before the rest of the industry caught up. Parents want the best for their children and the community appreciation for a job well done is highly worth it."

Barnhart Inc., a San Diego-based building/contracting firm, has managed construction of hundreds of projects valued in excess of $1 billion since its 1983 inception. The builder is currently managing more than $500 million in construction projects in California.

Schupp is executive vice president of Marston+Marston Inc.