Schools

Full Middle School Renovation is Off the Table, City Could Turn Focus to a New Senior Center

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Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

Watertown cannot afford to totally renovate or rebuild Watertown Middle School, City Manager George Proakis told the City Council this week. At the Sept. 9 Council meeting, Proakis outlined the results of the feasibility study of renovating/rebuilding the middle school. The City budgeted $84.7 million for the middle school project, but the cost estimates for a project that would create a modern school that could accommodate 630 students came in well over $100 million. “I wanted to come here and share with you tonight that after spending a significant time and looking at this from every imaginable perspective, building a $112 million Middle School is not something I feel comfortable recommending that the Council do,” Proakis said.

Schools

Work Moving Ahead on New High School, Likely to Extend Into the Evening Some Days

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The steel frame of the gymnasium at the new Watertown School before the slab is placed on the area in early April. (Courtesy of Vertex)

The following announcement was provided by Watertown’s project management firm, Vertex:

The new WHS Project Site remains busy as the site preparation and steel detailing continues. Above is a current view of the steel erection progress (view of the new gymnasium space) ahead of our upcoming slab on deck placement in this area next week. We have several slab placements on the schedule for next week proposed for the following dates:

Monday April 1st : Gymnasium

Wednesday April 3rd

Thursday April 4th

These slab placements are beginning at 7 a.m. on each of the above dates. The duration required for the slabs to be finished is dependent on the outside air temperate and weather conditions on the day of placement.

Schools

Old School Has New Look, Public Gets First Look Inside Lowell Elementary After Renovation

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Parents and students explore the learning commons, a new addition to Lowell Elementary School. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Before the new Lowell Elementary School opened its doors on Tuesday afternoon, the hundreds gathers were entertained by student musicians, including the Lowell chorus who sang the Beatles’ song “Here Comes the Sun.” The song has a fitting line, “It seems like years since it’s been here.” The sun shone on the ceremony held outside Lowell School. The outside looked very similar to the school the students, teachers and staff left a few years ago, but inside it is filled with light, and features an expanded cafeteria, a new library, and a group learning commons with windows stretching two stories skyward.

Schools

Lowell School Renovation to be Unveiled at Ribbon Cutting

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The Watertown Public Schools invites the public to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the latest school construction project to be completed: Lowell School. There will be an opportunity to look around the renovated and expanded school. School officials sent out the following information:

Please join us for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated J.R. Lowell Elementary School on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. The ceremony will take place at the Lowell Avenue entrance at 4:00pm. After the ceremony, the Watertown Community is also invited to walk through the renovated building.

Schools

Reopening of Lowell School Pushed Back Due to Delays in Materials & Equipment

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Watertown Public SchoolsA look inside Lowell Elementary School, which is under construction, and reopening will be pushed back by about a month. Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston sent out the following announcement on Tuesday, May 30:

To our Lowell Elementary School community:

We are writing to you this afternoon to share an update on the ongoing renovations at the Lowell school. Since last year, the Lowell has been undergoing its most significant construction project since the school was built in the 1920’s. We have been eagerly anticipating our return to Lowell, which was targeted for the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Unfortunately, it has now become apparent that we will not be able to reopen the school until early October.

Around Town

Community Forum on Watertown High School to Discuss Traffic Studies, Swing Space

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Ai3 ArchtiectsA rendering of what the new Watertown High School will look like (note the colors have not been settled). The latest community forum for the Watertown High School project will include a discussion of the final traffic studies for both the new WHS and the temporary location at Moxley Field. The forum, which is the 10th for the project, will be held on Wednesday, May 18 at approximately 7 p.m. It will follow the School Building Committee meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. Participants can join remotely via Zoom. Other subjects will include review of the swing space projects, a look at the project schedule and there will be an opportunity for questions and comments. The presentation for the forum will be posted on the Watertown Building for the Future site prior to the meeting.

Ai3 Architects

Construction Underway on Lowell School Renovation, Project Has it Challenges

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Charlie BreitroseMembers of the construction team working on the Lowell School renovation project look up at the school during the groundbreaking ceremony. City Council President Mark Siders had a big grin on his face as he held up three fingers and donned a construction helmet. On Wednesday afternoon, he and others involved with the Watertown Public Schools’ building projects gathered for the official groundbreaking at Lowell Elementary School’s renovations and expansion — the district’s third elementary school project in recent years. The site work had already commenced at the school that overlooks Orchard Street. Like the other two elementary school projects, Lowell was designed by Ai3 Architects and the project management firm is Hill International.

Schools

Lowell School Project Will Kick Off With Groundbreaking Ceremony

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the renovated and expanded Lowell Elementary School. The following announcement was provided by CTA Construction:

CTA Construction was awarded the contract in March to renovate and add two new additions to the historic Lowell Elementary School. The groundbreaking ceremony is set to take place on April 27 at 4:30 p.m.

CTA staff members will join the school building committee, members of the community, andschool district staff for the ceremony. “We are happy to be working again with both Ai3 Architects and owner’s project management firm Hill International,” said Jeff Hazelwood, principal of CTA Construction Managers. CTA Construction has previously worked with Hill International on eight projects, including the Tufts Library for the Town of Weymouth.