Boston district breaks ground on improved facilities for special needs students

The Boston district is replacing the aging William E. Carter School with a new building to serve students with intensive disabilities and complex learning needs between ages 12 and 22.

The old building is being torn down to make way for a new facility, reports The Boston Herald. 

The $92 million upgrade will enable the school to accommodate more students as well as early childhood and pre-K programs.  The existing school serves about 25 students; the new school will serve about 60.

Once the existing building is demolished and the new building is under construction, Carter School students will be relocated to part of the Lila Frederick School, officials said.

New features include an updated therapeutic pool, sensory garden, a rooftop classroom and a tailored literacy commons space. School officials said that the existing school isn't suited to serve its clientele; for example, some doorways could not accommodate wheelchairs. 

The rebuilding project is one step in the “Green New Deal for Boston Public School,” a $2 billion plan to overhaul the infrastructure of the city's schools.

The city will contribute about $66 million to the new Carter facility, and the Massachusetts School Building Authority will allocate about $26 million. 

The project is expected to be completed in 2024. 

Studio 2112 Landscape Architecture is the architect, and BOND Building is the construction manager.