Of 2,446 votes, 1,646 registered voters voted in favor of the tax increase, while 800 were against it, reported MassLive. Officially, voters approved a Proposition 2.5 debt exclusion, which allows the town to exceed the 2.5 percent annual tax levy cap to pay back loans for the life of the bonds.

The approval means major renovations will take place at East Meadow School and a new building will be erected to replace West Street School, located adjacent to East Meadow. The Massachusetts School Building Authority pledged $17,624,506 to fund the project, leaving the town to pay the remainder of the $34 million construction budget.

East Meadow School was constructed more than 40 years ago, and requires many upgrades to bring the building up to code, according to MassLive. Built in 1941, West Street Elementary faces similar deficiencies that are too expensive to renovate. The project will require closing West Street Elementary and consolidating kindergarten through grade 6 students in a completely refurbished East Meadow School. The new school would accommodate about 430 students in a 68,760-square-foot building.

"We look forward to delivering an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective facility that will maximize local and state taxpayer resources while providing a top-notch facility in which students can learn effectively," Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, chair of the building authority, said when announcing the project.

The next phase of the project will focus on construction drawings and bids, according to the superintendent’s blog. The goal is to complete both the addition and renovation of the current East Meadow School by fall 2018.
 

The post Massachusetts Voters Approve School Construction appeared first on School Construction News.

When complete, the new 1,005-student Plymouth South High School will rise 57 feet at its tallest point, 22 feet higher than zoning currently permits. However, Massachusetts’ zoning bylaws state that towns cannot impose restrictive zoning when it comes to school construction projects, and the local board unanimously approved the re-zoning request.

Architects from Ai3 Associates of Wayland, Mass., the firm also responsible for the design of nearby Plymouth North High School, shared their initial design for Plymouth South in June. That design honors architecture found throughout the surrounding community while also differentiating the school as a forward-thinking structure. It will feature a mix of modern and classic styles, characterized by red brick, concrete masonry and glass.

Almost since its completion, the current Plymouth South High School has experienced maintenance problems related to its roof and windows, as well as its mechanical and electrical systems. The facility is also far from ADA compliant, uses an inefficient design and offers poor ventilation. Architects and school leaders had initially considered renovating the 1980s-era high school and relocating students until the work was finished. However, these numerous construction and design flaws put the estimated cost of repairs $7 million higher than the cost of complete reconstruction.

“Upon completion, this new school will provide a modern learning environment and create the space needed to deliver on the school district’s educational commitments and goals,” State Treasurer Steven Grossman, chairman of Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), promised in a statement.

The new Plymouth South will be built on the playing fields located behind the existing school, allowing the facility to remain in use throughout construction. Upon completion, the original school will be demolished and new playing fields will be built on the site.

In addition to traditional classes, Plymouth South High School also houses a technical component, offering students an opportunity to study automotive repair, carpentry, culinary arts, cosmetology and other trades. These classrooms, along with standard academic classrooms, will be concentrated in the new school’s three-story west wing, according to current Ai3 designs. The school’s east wing will house music classrooms and a nearly 700-seat auditorium, as well as a gymnasium and theater. A library and media center, as well as administrative offices, will be clustered around the main lobby.

Students will navigate the school via two large staircases, several elevators and light-filled corridors. This use of daylighting will contribute to the school’s sustainability efforts, which will also include an energy efficient building envelope, high performance windows, rainwater collection system, high efficiency mechanical and lighting systems and low-flow toilet fixtures, among others. The school is currently aiming for LEED Silver certification.

“The new Plymouth South High School will replace an aging school with an up-to-date, 21st century learning facility,” said MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy in a statement. “Students will soon have a beautiful new space which will undoubtedly enhance and improve their ability to excel in the classroom.”
Local voters approved the project, along with the reconstruction of Plymouth North High School, in 2006. Though construction is not anticipated to begin until the summer of 2015, the school is currently estimated to cost $107 million, slightly more than half of which will be covered by the MSBA. Plymouth South High School is expected to open in time for the fall 2017 semester.

The post New Massachusetts School on Track for 2015 Construction appeared first on School Construction News.

A vast improvement over the original facility, which was completed in 1969, the new Marshfield High School provides students with modern learning spaces and improved facilities both inside and out. All classrooms are equipped with a teaching wall for enhanced instruction, and even floor space has been turned into teaching space in some areas. Additionally, where many classrooms in the old facility featured accordion-style walls, the new school has proper structural divisions between learning spaces.

Also included in the design are a marine fabrication laboratory, a student-managed restaurant, and the schools very first auditorium. A new gymnasium, laboratories, a public fitness center, a robotics room and a state-of-the-art television production studio comprise the school’s most exciting new features.

During demolition of the original building, the school’s football stadium and surrounding athletic fields were also impacted. However, new synthetic and natural turf fields and 10 new multi-purpose fields have taken their place. Nearby new grandstands, a press box and concessions and ticketing buildings round out Marshfield’s outdoor offerings.

Though unique to the community, the school design has been replicated several times in recent years through the Model School reimbursement program. According to a release by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the Model School Program, which was established in 2008, incorporates successful elements from existing schools into the design of new facilities. Through this program, districts can simplify the design process, streamline construction, reduce the amount of time it takes to build a new facility and utilize design dynamics already deemed successful by students, teachers and administrators. The program also allowed the school to qualify for a 5 percent reimbursement on construction costs.
At the school’s September 2012 groundbreaking, State Treasurer Steven Grossman said he was delight to see the program being used at Marshfield. “The Model School Program is an innovative initiative that has been tremendously successful, and it has helped communities across the Commonwealth save valuable time and money while delivering top-notch schools and modern learning environments for our students,” Grossman said.
The repurposed design embraces both modern and traditional architectural elements, and uses building materials associate with classic New England architecture. However, Marshfield students and faculty were able to put their own unique spin on the facility by naming its hallways after streets in the community. Stairways will be named for local beaches.

Compass Project Management served as the project manager and Brait Builders constructed the $101.6 million school, which came in nearly $3 million under budget. The MSBA will contribute more than half of these costs.

The post Marshfield Completes New Model High School appeared first on School Construction News.

There simply is no comparison to the former 52-year-old school building said Michael Buehrle, chairman of the Easthampton High School Building Committee.

“I like to refer to the idea that we went from the 19th century into the 21st century, all at one time,” Buehrle said.

The old Easthampton High School was without air conditioning, insulated windows and an auditorium, and was limited in gym and library space.

With innovative classroom technology, a gym featuring a rock-climbing wall, a 367-seat auditorium and energy-efficient strategies, the students of Easthampton High have been given a platform for success.

The biggest challenge for this project, however, was convincing taxpayers that the $39.2 million transformation was worth the cost, Buehrle said.

“[The biggest challenge was] probably getting the city residents to understand we needed to do this, and just ensuring we answered their questions, let them know we intended to save their tax dollars by keeping control of the budget,” Buehrle said. “And we have done that as we speak: under budget and on time.”

In May 2010, residents approved a debt exclusion referendum for the school by a 3-1 margin.

The project was also made possible in part by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which funds school construction in the state with a 0.5 percent sales tax. The MSBA will fund approximately $25 million for the school’s construction.

“Depending on how much you design into each project to save energy, recycle, green planting, building materials, land reuse, etc., you get credits of a percentage off the cost of your project,” Buehrle said.

The school earned enough credits to increase the MSBA’s funding from the initial 57 percent to 64 percent. The city of Easthampton will fund the remaining 37 percent of costs, approximately $18 million. But several motions were made to save taxpayer dollars, Buehrle said. Although original estimates set costs at $44 million, the project required only $39 million.

“The most unique aspect would be we built the new high school on the same site, saving our need to purchase another location” Buehrle said. “And since the MSBA does not refund land purchases, [this] saved a great deal of money for our taxpayers.”

The three-story building, designed by Caolo and Bieniek Associates Inc. of Chicoppe, Mass. and Springfield, Mass.-based Fonatine Bros. Inc. serving as the general contractor, meets the Collaborative for High Performance Schools status.

The school features photovoltaic panels on the roof, which generate 82 kilowatts (per hour?), energy-efficient lighting and now has emergency generation capabilities that will allow the school to become the city’s emergency shelter site.

“They’re (students?) going to love this place,” Buehrle said. “It’s high-tech, it’s energy-efficient, it’s clean and they’re going to take care of it because they’ll see what a nice place it is.”

With the new 367-seat auditorium, students in Drama Club will no longer have to walk the several blocks to neighboring White Brook Middle School to rehearse and perform, but enjoy the arts in their own building.

“Probably my favorite parts is the state-of-the-art auditorium and library,” Buehrle said. “The kids now have to leave the current high school to practice their annual play and performance. And now, they just have to put their books away and walk down the hall.”

The library in the new high school will be approximately three times the size of the older facilities, Buehrle said, and the gym’s bleachers will allow an audience of 750 for sporting events and graduations.

The post Easthampton High School to Open in April appeared first on School Construction News.