Marshall Simonds Middle School Renovations Underway

As Burlington prepares to demolish the old Memorial School building, the Town has already begun the daunting task of renovating the Marshall Simonds Middle School across the street. The addition and renovation project is expected to cost nearly $33 million with over $17 million coming from a state grant. 

Kevin Buckley of KBA Architects served as the architect for the Memorial School project and will serve in the same role on the middle school project. KBA specializes in renovations and Buckley stated that he is confident that the project will be completed as scheduled by September 2013. 

The project includes a 37,000-square-foot addition, which will be completed by summer 2012, according to Buckley. The new wing will include administrative, guidance and nursing offices on the first floor, as well as eight laboratory classrooms on the second floor.

The addition also provides the opportunity to correct a long standing problem with the school’s façade. The current school has no clear front entrance and visitors were often left wondering where the main door was. The renovated school will include an elegant new front entrance the style of which will mimic the Memorial School across the street.

According to the contractor, Lyle Coughlin of CTA Construction, the foundation of the addition is nearly completed. Coughlin stated that work crews will begin installing structural steel the week after July 4th.

“That’s always an exciting stage because residents will begin to see the frame of the building taking shape,” said Coughlin.

At the same time, stated Coughlin, the workers have started asbestos abatement in the school. The old asbestos tiles are being removed over the summer. New tile floors in the cafeteria and first floor classrooms should be installed by September 2011.  The second floor abatement will occur in the summer of 2012.

“It’s very challenging to get all the abatement done over two summers,” said Coughlin.  “It’s a very contained and regulated environment, but the School Department wants all abatement done when students are on summer break as a safety precaution.”

Coughlin also explained that the modular classrooms currently located at Memorial School will be moved across the street and installed behind the middle school. They will be connected to the main school with portable corridors and be ready for occupancy by September 2011.  

Buckley detailed the plan for classroom renovations during the school year.

“Four classes, one team at a time, will move to the modular classrooms while their rooms are being renovated,” said Buckley.  “We’d like to get four to eight rooms completed over this summer, but that is uncertain at this time,” he added.

Buckley went on to describe the new library, cafeteria and corridors that are planned. The current library is contained in just 1,000 square feet of space. The new library will boast 5,000 square feet. Similarly, the current science classrooms are approximately 750 square feet each. The new science laboratories will boast 1200 square feet of space and will include sinks and countertops along one side of each room.

The project will also correct problems with traffic flow within the school. A new glass corridor will run straight from the auditorium to the cafeteria allowing for much simpler flow around the school.

The addition itself should be completed by the summer of 2012 and administration will move into the new space over that summer.

According to Coughlin, he is well aware of the needs of a working school.

“A phased, occupied renovation is pretty much the highest degree of difficulty and that’s what we are doing,” said Coughlin. “Working around the kids and the school operations forces us to be creative in order to be considerate.”

Coughlin added that if the construction becomes too much of a distraction and begins to negatively affect the students ability to learn, the contractor may move to second shift.

“That’s Plan B. We hope it won’t be necessary, but it can be done,” said Coughlin.