Building our Future

Definitely Temporary (Modulars)!

Modulars: Last Wednesday the SBC approved the contract for the modular classrooms that will become the home of our K – 4 students during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 school years.  The bid for the modulars came in within budget, and preparations for installation will begin about July 8th!

May 22nd – Updated Designs: The SBC will see the latest updates to the exterior elevations, floor plans, and site plans at the May 22nd meeting. NOTE:  Due to the District Art Show, the May 22nd SBC meeting will be held in the Donaldson Room, Town Offices. (Be sure to see our students’ amazing art – drop by the Hartwell building between May 13th and May 21st!)

May 22nd – SBC @ Conservation Commission: As part of the permitting process for the project, ConCom will hold a second hearing and vote on the plans for the temporary classrooms.

May 12, 2019 in Building our Future, Construction Documents Phase Comments (0)

On Budget…

The consensus of three independent cost estimates is that the project continues to be on budget! The Design Development phase is now drawing to a close, and the Construction Documents (CD) phase begins. The next round of cost estimates will been at “60% CD,” which means when the construction documents are 60% complete.

Project Schedule

At Wednesday’s meeting, our construction team from Consigli presented an updated project schedule. The schedule represents a lot of think about a wide range of details. The Logistics Sub Group, comprised of design and construction team members, along with our school admin and facilities team, will continue to refine the schedule and consider all aspects of the project: construction staging areas; safe traffic flow for cars, buses, construction vehicles, and pedestrians; wetlands and tree protection, etc. See the presentation here.

The chart below gives an overview of the latest information about how the project affects different grades and the community over the next several years. Refinements of the plan will continue!

Meeting Schedule:

  • April 22nd: The Site Sub Committee will meet at 9am, Hartwell multipurpose room.
  • April 24th: SBC meeting has been CANCELLED. This meeting was in place for value engineering. Due to the positive news about the budget estimates, it is not needed. Next SBC meeting is on May 8th.
  • April 25th: Outreach Committee meeting is CANCELLED.
  • May 1st: Conservation Commission will conduct the first of two public hearings on the plan for the modular classrooms.
  • The Outreach Team is taking a brief break. Look for the next blog post on May 5th!
April 14, 2019 in Building our Future, Construction Documents Phase, Design Development Comments (0)

The bottom line…

As mentioned in prior posts, the Design Development drawings were recently submitted for another round of cost estimation. Those estimates will be reviewed at this week’s SBC meeting.

Wednesday, April 10th, 7:00pm, Hartwell multipurpose room

  • Review preliminary construction costs
  • Review updated construction timeline
  • Subcommittee reports
  • Site permitting update
April 7, 2019 in Building our Future, Design Development Comments (0)

Design Updates…

The design team is continuing to work through a myriad of site plan, systems, and design details. Following are some updated images that were shown at Wednesday’s meeting.  To see the entire slide deck, click here.

Below is a view of the current site showing the latest thinking about the location and configuration of the temporary school and parking lot (inside the red circle). Once the final contract has been awarded for the modular units, the construction schedule will be updated, and we will begin to share information about what we can all expect when we drive onto the campus after the 4th of July.

Upcoming meetings:

  • April 3rd, Power Purchase Agreement Subcommittee, 7:30am, Hartwell multipurpose room.
  • April 10th, School Building Committee, 7:00pm, Hartwell multipurpose room.
  • April 11th, Outreach Subcommittee, 11:00am, Hartwell multipurpose room.
  • April 22nd, Site Subcommittee, 9:00am, Hartwel multipurpose room.
March 31, 2019 in Building our Future, Design Development, Photos & Videos Comments (0)

Update from Town Meeting 2019

For the first time in…a long time…there was no school project presentation or vote at Town Meeting. However, there were two warrant articles with ties to the project:

  • Property Tax Study Committee: In February, the Selectmen (BOS) appointed the Study Committee, which is charged with examining existing tax abatement/deferral programs, determining unmet needs, investigating other possible programs, and making recommendations to the BOS. Click here to see the slides from Town Meeting.
  • Solar Bylaw: Lincoln first adopted a solar bylaw about a decade ago. Since then, both photovoltaic (PV) technology and the financial arrangements for installing PV panels have changed. Town Meeting voted to amend the current solar bylaw to allow residents, businesses, and the Town to enter into power purchase agreements (PPAs). This was a critical vote for the school project, and it was approved virtually unanimously. To learn more about how the bylaw was changed, visit the FAQ page on the Town website.

This Week’s SBC Meeting: The SBC will meet on Wednesday, March 27th @ 7:00pm, Hartwell multipurpose room. The agenda includes:

  • Review site and floor plans
  • Review exterior elevations
  • Review HVAC systems
  • Review monthly budget update
  • Review updated modulars plan (temporary classrooms)
March 24, 2019 in Building our Future, Design Development, Uncategorized Comments (0)

Honoring our History…

As the SBC and design team work through the Design Development phase, there are discussions about the preservation and reinstallation of historic elements such as the butterfly weathervane and the bell from the deCordova estate. In addition, the committee is considering ways to salvage some materials from the demolition process for reuse in the building. Here are some examples:

  • deCordova Bell: The current proposal is to install the bell in the new Reed Gym connector. This is an area that will be visible to the community during events in the gym and/or the Auditorium.
  • Butterfly Weathervane: Given the scale of the weathervane, an outdoor location is probably most appropriate. The image shows some possible locations.
  • Wood Flooring from the Smith stage: The design team is proposing using the flooring from the Smith stage as an architectural accent in the Learning Commons.

…Building our Future

This was the last SBC meeting before the Design Development drawings and specifications are sent out for the next round of cost estimates (cost estimates will be reviewed at the April 10, 2019 meeting). Many details are being worked through, such as the layout of the new kitchen & dining commons. SMMA’s kitchen consultant is continuing to collaborate with the administrative team, including the Director of Food Services.  They are thinking about issues such as the ease of refilling food displays, height of the check out lines for our younger students, and orientation of the serving and check out lines for maximum efficiency. Here is the latest plan:

Also at the last meeting, the SBC heard an overview of the instructional technology plan. This includes the network infrastructure, presentation tools for classrooms and large spaces, and safety and communication equipment. The plan is to build on our current systems and tools, and do our best to “future proof” our technology. This means building in the flexibility to upgrade and replace sytems and equipment as they change over time.

And in the short term…

The SBC saw the latest iteration of the planned layout for the temporary school that will be built on the center field. Preparations for installation of the modulars are expected to begin after July 4th.

The link to the entire presentation can be found here.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 27th, 7:00pm, Hartwell multipurpose room.

March 17, 2019 in Building our Future, Design Development, Honoring our History, Uncategorized Comments (0)

Inspiring the next generation…

Next SBC Meeting: Wednesday, March 13th, 7:00pm, Hartwell Multipurpose Room.  On the agenda:

  • Review updated floor plans
  • Review options for salvaged items
  • Review preliminary instructional technology

Click here for the link to the 2/27 design slide deck, and here for the 2/27 tax impact presentation from the Finance Committee.

Over a year ago, SBC member Craig Nicholson initiated a collaboration between the Boston Architectural College (BAC) and the Lincoln School. Just recently, Craig shared the BAC students’ final report with the SBC and design team. Here is his description of the program:

This project was established through the BAC’s “Gateway to Practice Initiative” which provides a platform for architectural and design students to gain experience in project planning and delivery through community partnerships in the greater Boston area. The Gateway to Practice program strives to satisfy three goals:

  • Forge sustainable and enduring partnerships with nonprofits, community organizations, and municipalities;
  • Provide community partners with access to design services through projects with clearly defined goals and deliverables;
  • Give BAC students opportunities to expand their knowledge base and apply learning through research and action, engage with community leaders and stakeholders, collaborate across disciplines, and acquire vital professional skills and competencies.

The participating BAC students, under the guidance of architect Rashmi Ramaswamy, partnered with Lincoln faculty and students to engage in the school design process. With support from Superintendent Becky McFall and Principal Sharon Hobbs, middle school art teacher Pam DiBiase and BAC students led middle school students through a series of charettes focused on elements of the design process. In doing so, Lincoln students were able to learn about design theory and play an active role in the development of innovative ideas, models, and prototypes for various spaces within the proposed plan of the school. The culmination of their work is included in the final booklet prepared by the BAC students, and our design team. Hopefully there will be a way to incorporate some of the ideas into the renovation project!

March 10, 2019 in Building our Future, Design Development, Uncategorized Comments (0)