CTA Construction Completes Construction of Eight Public Schools in Massachusetts

Press Release • Sep 19, 2013

The eight schools contain state-of-the-art educational facilities for 21st century learning.

Online, September 19, 2013 (Newswire.com) - CTA Construction of Waltham, MA is the construction manager for the expansion and renewal of eight Massachusetts schools that open this month, all completed on time and on budget to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The expansion and rejuvenation of these schools not only create new learning environments that support a 21st century curriculum of science, art, and physical fitness, but also created new spaces that enhance the overall campus experience for students, teachers, administrators and the local communities. Students return to their campuses to witness buildings that are now up to code and no longer overcrowded, with energy performance enhanced and infrastructure updated. CTA Construction's team of builders worked tirelessly with Owners and project team members to develop plans that not only ensure on-time delivery, but minimize any potential disruption to the daily operation of the occupied schools.

Leroy L. Wood Elementary School, Fairhaven, MA
CTA constructed this new, 78,000 sf. "model" elementary school with record speed in 14 months at the site of the formerly overcrowded and inadequate Wood Elementary School which was demolished prior to the start of construction. Students in this new Pre-K to Grade 5 School now enjoy a library filled with light, full-sized cafeteria/kitchen and gymnasium, as well as specialty classrooms -- music classrooms with instrument storage, computer classroom, dedicated art classroom, and a project room designed to accommodate science and other messy, hands-on exploration. This energy-efficient new building is oriented to take advantage of day-lighting through skylights and classroom windows, and the artificial lighting is designed to dim automatically when there is sufficient daylight. This building not only participates in the Massachusetts Collaborative for High Performance School (MA-CHPS), but holds the distinction of being the most economically constructed new school in the Commonwealth since 2004. The project architect is HMFH Architects, Inc. and the owner's project manager is Daedalus Projects, Inc.

Douglas Elementary and Middle Schools, Douglas, MA
CTA Construction completed this phased construction of a new 81,000 sf. Elementary School and is currently renovating the existing 85,000 sf. Middle School. The Middle and Elementary Schools remained occupied throughout construction. The new Elementary School includes classrooms, special education spaces, art, music, and administrative areas, cafeteria, and gymnasium. Renovations to the Middle School encompass renewal of classrooms, auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria, and exterior repairs to the masonry, replacement of the roof, windows and doors. Interior work includes HVAC, mechanical, fire and plumbing systems, and demo/rebuild of limited areas such as administrative offices and the nursing suite. The new Elementary School is targeting LEED for Schools Certification at the Silver level. The project architect is DiNisco Design Partnership and the owner's project manager is Heery International, Inc.

Vinson-Owen Elementary School, Winchester, MA
This $20.7 million academic building project is the construction of a new 75,000 sf. elementary school that replaces an older school building complex removed prior to the start of construction of Vinson- Owen. The new building contains 21 core classrooms, gymnasium, cafeteria, special education classrooms, media center, art, music, computer lab and reading spaces. Site work includes parking, roadways, playgrounds and a subsurface water detention system. The project is participating in the Massachusetts Collaborative for High Performance Schools (MA CHPS).

Dracut High School, Dracut, MA
This project scope of work involves the addition and renovations to an existing high school. The renovation work on the project involves 138,000 sf. and includes classrooms, library and cafeteria. The new addition to the school features classrooms, auditorium, gymnasium, and locker rooms totaling approximately 82,630 sf. The construction work is being phased. The project architect is Mount Vernon Group and the owner's project manager is Collaborative Partners.

Maynard High School, Maynard, MA
The new Maynard High School is 121,000 sf. and sits adjacent to the existing school building which remained occupied and in operation throughout the phased construction process. The new facility includes a cafeteria with kitchen, an auditorium, gymnasium, art and music classrooms and vocational technology classrooms. The building also contains a radio/TV station that is integral to the school program. The gymnasium and auditorium are intended to be accessible to the community after school hours when the remainder of the building is secured. The second phase of the project involves demolition of the existing school and completion of the athletic fields and site work. The project is participating in the Massachusetts Collaborative for High Performance Schools (MA-CHPS). CTA Construction is working with Tappe Associates, the project architect, and Municipal Building Consultants who is the Owner's Project Manager.

Assabet Valley Regional High School, Marlborough, MA
Built in the early 1970's, the Assabet Valley Regional High School had been well-maintained over the decades but its infrastructure systems and equipment had reached the end of their useful lives. The school was in need of infrastructure modernization to reduce operating costs, improve energy performance, and bring the school building to code.

Working with the Owner's Project Manager Strategic Building Solutions, and the project architect Design Partnership of Cambridge, CTA Construction has begun construction services for renovations to the 367,565 sf. high school. Renovation to the administrative area has been completed this summer. The continued renovation work will be phased to accommodate the daily activities of 960 students, 100 post graduate students, and faculty and administrative staff. Upgrades are being done to the school's roofing system, windows and doors, HVAC, emergency generator, life safety systems, accessibility upgrades, improvements to the science classrooms, and plumbing and lighting improvements for energy efficiency and conservation.

Tewksbury Memorial High School, Tewksbury, MA
The new Tewksbury Memorial High School is designed and constructed to not only support the new 21st century pedagogy of interactive, engaged learning, but also to resolve the issues of hazardous materials, inefficiency, and underutilization that were present in the existing school building. The new 218,781 sf. building, which serves 1,100 students, is divided into three principal areas: the health and physical education wing, two stacked classrooms/instructional pods, and the commons/auditorium/administrative/library area which acts like a hinge to link the various wings together. The health/PE wing and commons/auditorium area are positioned so that evening sports matches or other community-related events can take place while the classroom areas are secured. Site work includes a 2,500 sf. concessions building, athletic fields, running track, surface parking, and utilities.

Construction of this new school presented the challenge of working on an occupied site with limited construction access. CTA Construction developed a plan that ensured safety and minimized disruption to the school community while demolition and abatement of the existing 175,000 sf. school building took place. Performed as a joint venture, this phased, three-year project participated in the Massachusetts Collaborative for High Performance Schools (MA-CHPS) and MSBA's Model School Program. The project architect is SMMA/Symmes Maini & McKee and the owner's project manager is Heery International, Inc.

Marshall Simonds Middle School, Burlington, MA
Earlier this year, CTA Construction completed construction of this academic project which comprises a 37,000 sf. addition, and 118,000 sf. phased renovation of the 1950's original school building while the campus was occupied and in operation. The project was delivered to the owner four months ahead of schedule. In August of this year, CTA completed the associated athletic field for the school which contains a football field and running track.

CTA Construction Co, Inc., is an award-winning construction management and general contracting firm with a history of excellence in building academic, commercial, residential, civic, retail, and hospitality buildings. Based in Waltham, Massachusetts, CTA Construction's portfolio includes construction projects valued at over $800 million. As a leader in green building, CTA has helped numerous clients build sustainably and in meeting LEED Silver or greater and MA-CHPS standards.