Brennan Consulting, Inc.’s education portfolio continues its historic growth with work on multiple area schools

Burlington, MA Brennan Consulting, Inc.’s portfolio continues its historic growth, while supply chain, capital cost, and workforce challenges linger. According to Laureen Poulakis, president at Brennan, “Our team is honored to work in concert with the Commonwealth’s 21^st century learning initiative and investment in education. We provide state-of-the-art technology in our delivery of preconstruction survey services, layout control, foundation and athletic field layout, steel erection surveys, construction as-builts, and traffic engineering in both the university and preK-12 submarkets.” A portfolio spotlight is below:

Tobin Montessori School, Cambridge: To address aging facilities, the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools replacement project is designed as a 359,100 s/f, preK-8 complex totaling $299 million. Construction by W.T. Rich began in July 2021 and the new 980-student campus will open fall 2025 on the same site as the existing 1971 school. Students and staff have been temporarily relocated to multiple swing spaces in Cambridge. Underground parking, a rooftop solar array, geothermal field, and net zero emissions are embraced in the contemporary programming. Site work is extensive with athletic fields, outdoor play spaces, 1.5 million gallon below-grade stormwater storage, rain gardens, and bioswales. Also included in the design are the full-immersion Autism Spectrum Disorder program, special start, preschool, and after school programs.

Bunker Hill Community College, Charlestown: A new three-story, 56,000 s/f Academic Student Success Center, 35,000 s/f in renovations, and an overhaul of the campus electrical infrastructure are underway at Bunker Hill Community College. The $63.3 million construction and upgrade of this 50-year-old campus began in April 2022 and has a delivery expected in 2024. Several key innovative components are included such as solar, geothermal, and high-performance envelope design with accommodations for the rising sea-level. The college sees 18,000 students annually.

Oliver School, Lawrence: This $104.9 million historic restoration and adaptive reuse of an existing 1917 school, with a large-scale addition, poses unique challenges due to its urban location, aged systems, and necessary upgrades for today’s public education. When completed, the complex will house 1,000 K-8 students in 162,000 s/f, combining the existing K-5 Oliver Partnership School and the grades 6-8 UP Academy. Students and staff have been temporarily relocated for construction which began in May. Oliver is scheduled for a 2025 opening.

Stoneham High School, Stoneham: Breaking ground in June of 2022, the Stoneham High School project includes district offices, a pre-kindergarten, updated programming for grades 9-12 in three stories, an athletic complex, and the Spartan Place - an indoor/outdoor gathering plaza for students and the community. The $190 million, 208,000 s/f project is dubbed a crown jewel of the town and replaces an existing 1968 building on 40 acres. Opening in the fall of 2024 to 695 high school students, demolition of the existing building will begin shortly thereafter. Outdoor field construction will continue through 2025.

Education projects underway at Brennan also include Hunnewell School in Wellesley, Whittier Vocational in Haverhill, Arlington High School in Arlington, Pentucket Regional Middle School in West Newbury, and Waltham High School in Waltham.