Brookline, MA – On Sept. 13, officials from the Public Schools of Brookline, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Town of Brookline joined students, alumni, families, educators, neighbors, and representatives from Leftfield, Jonathan Levi Architects, and Gilbane Building Company to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the 155,000sf Michael Driscoll Elementary School in Brookline.
The new facility will address concerns regarding a growing student population within the district, accommodating nearly 800 students in grades pre-kindergarten through eighth. Designed by Jonathan Levi Architects, the school will include several signature architectural features including extensive curtain wall and an interior multi-story atrium with monumental stair. Sustainable features include photovoltaic roof arrays and a geothermal system.
“I believe our mandate is to provide creative, joyful, whole child public education for our diverse community of learners,” said Susan Wolf Ditkoff, building project co-chair and elected school committee member. “This new plan actually increases our outdoor greenspace while adding new arts, science, and maker spaces and improving our carbon footprint through an entirely fossil-fuel free system and a cycling/pedestrian/transit friendly design.”
The Michael Driscoll Elementary School is slated for completion by the fall of 2023, followed by demolition of the existing school and construction of new playfields to be completed by May 2024.
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“We’re excited to mark the official start of this amazing project with the Town of Brookline,” said Mike O’Brien, senior vice president and business unit leader for Gilbane in Massachusetts. “Our experience as a leading builder of K-12 facilities on occupied campuses will ensure that community and student safety are never compromised.”
