The West Springfield (Mass.) district is set to break ground next month on a $69 million elementary campus to replace the century-old Coburn School.
The Springfield Republican reports that a three-story 119,800-square-foot building will be constructed behind the existing school.
Coburn was built as a junior high school, with 600-square-foot rooms tailored to lecture-style classes. Elementary education now involves small-group sessions and movement around the room, so kindergarten classrooms will be more than 1,200 square feet, and elementary classrooms about 900 square feet.
The estimated $69 million project will be partially reimbursed by the state. Mayor William Reichelt says he expects the town’s share of the construction cost to be around $30 million
The new school is scheduled to be ready in time for the 2021-22 year.
Once the new school is completed, the existing Coburn School will be demolished to accommodate parking lots and athletic fields.
In addition to its educational purpose, the new school is expected to serve as a community center for the downtown neighborhood. It will have a high school-sized gymnasium, and a stage that opens onto both the gym and cafeteria.
Other new features in the plans include better technology and security systems, and an expanded kindergarten.
