Gilbane Building Company breaks ground on two K-12 projects in Massachusetts
Both new facilities to be constructed on occupied school campuses.
BOSTON, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Gilbane Building Company recently celebrated important milestones with two communities in the Commonwealth as the firm officially broke ground on the new Florence Roche Elementary School in Groton, MA and the West Elementary School/Shawsheen Pre-School in Andover, MA.
During his remarks at both groundbreaking ceremonies, Jack McCarthy, executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), noted the continued success of the project teams, congratulating both the Groton and Andover communities in assembling their respective project partners, and adding his confidence in both projects being completed on time and on budget, because "that is what the Gilbane teams have been doing for schools all over the Commonwealth."
"We're thrilled to mark the official groundbreaking of both the Florence Roche and West Elementary Schools with the Towns of Groton and Andover," said Mike O'Brien, senior vice president and business unit leader for Gilbane in Massachusetts. "Our experience as a leading builder of K-12 facilities throughout our state and the country, coupled with our 'student and community first' mindset, empowers us to deliver new schools that these districts can truly be proud of."
The New West Elementary School and Shawsheen Pre-School – Andover, MA
On June 3, 2022, local and state officials joined representatives from the Andover School District, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), PMA Consultants, Gilbane Building Company, and SMMA, to celebrate the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new 170,000-SF West Elementary School and Shawsheen Pre-School.
Designed by SMMA, with PMA Consultants serving as owner's project manager, the net-zero energy-ready facility will serve 130 pre-K and 925 K-5 students. The project addresses growing concerns over an increasing student population within the Andover School District and offers a solution for the town's aging Shawsheen Pre-school building. Both student populations will be co-located in the new educational complex, with a separate two-story wing for pre-school students.
Set to be built directly behind the existing West Elementary School, with less than 30 feet between the new and old foundations, the site is also flanked by three distinct wetland boundaries. With extensive experience in building K-12 education facilities on occupied campuses, as well as expertise in environmental protection and remediation, the Gilbane team has developed detailed site logistics, traffic management, safety, and project phasing plans to preserve parking, outdoor play space, bus circulation, and ensure that there is minimal disruption to school operations during construction.
The new school will feature modern, flexible educational spaces that promote student collaboration. Classrooms will be clustered by grade level and positioned around a central learning commons. To encourage nature-based learning, the school will also feature a roof garden and boardwalks that take advantage of nearby wetlands.
West Elementary School is set for completion in 2024.
Florence Roche Elementary School – Groton, MA
On June 6, 2022, officials from Groton Public Schools, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Town of Groton joined students, educators, and representatives from Leftfield, Studio G, and Gilbane Building Company to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the 110,000-SF Florence Roche Elementary School.
The new facility will accommodate 645 students in grades kindergarten through grade four and offer a solution to address growing concerns regarding the state of the existing facility, originally constructed in the 1950s.
Designed by Studio G, the school will be organized into grade-level learning neighborhoods and feature shared common spaces, such as a media center, an outdoor learning lab (OLL), a STEM lab with outdoor patio for student projects, and music and art classrooms. Through multiple design iterations and testing of different areas on the campus for the proposed new elementary school, the ideal location was determined to be behind the existing elementary school. Expert logistical plans have been developed by the Gilbane team to ensure construction remains on schedule with minimal disruptions to ongoing school operations prioritizing the safety of the campus population, as well as the surrounding community.
The new Florence Roche Elementary School is slated for completion in 2024.
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.
###
Media Contact
Tara Crawford, Gilbane Building Company, 6179609323, [email protected]
SOURCE Gilbane Building Company
Share this article