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

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.

Lowell School Renovation to be Unveiled at Ribbon Cutting

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Lowell School Project Will Kick Off With Groundbreaking Ceremony

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.

Funding to Renovate, Expand Lowell School Approved by Council

Ai3 ArchitectsA view of what the renovation to the Lowell School, including the addition seen on the right, which has tall windows, including on the corners. The funds for Watertown’s third elementary school project got approval from the City Council Tuesday night. The Lowell Elementary School project, unlike the first two, will not be a brand new school. Instead the historic building will undergo a major renovation and will have some additions. The approval for borrowing $48.895 million for the Lowell project on Tuesday came on the same night that the Council approved borrowing $198 million to construct the new Watertown High School.